Value Delivered
Wasatch Electric provided a complete range of low-voltage, power distribution, and electrical controls solutions for two new projects at the Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF): the facility’s Medical Mental Health building, as well as its Women’s General Population and Vocational, Dining, and Programs buildings.
BIM was integrated into both projects early, and our in-house capabilities were essential for helping ensure the seamless installation of all systems and components into each building.
The Medical Mental Health building was uniquely challenging because it housed both maximum security inmates and health care operations, requiring our team to coordinate multiple specialty electrical and mechanical systems, such as access controls and medical gas, among others.
To keep conduit, raceways, and boxes out of inmate areas in the women’s buildings, we routed them into the system’s tilt ups and then through concrete ceiling, which involved complex planning and foresight to ensure accurate coordination.
Our safety program was also highlighted throughout these projects. Each day, our crews participated in pre-task planning sessions and multiple stretch and flex programs. Project leadership leveraged a predictive solution program to help identify potential hazards, correct them, and share that information with our entire organization for continual learning.
Client Objectives
Due to the large size of these projects and complex scopes of work, USCF required an electrical contractor with access to significant labor power and reliable supply chains. Wasatch Electric was selected thanks to our proven ability to deliver highly productive crews and efficient procurement and management processes.
Additionally, the complex nature of these buildings—which house everything from dormitories and gymnasiums to classrooms and cafeterias to medical facilities, pharmacies, and more—also required us to leverage our broad array of experience and cutting-edge BIM technology.
Solutions
We provided a comprehensive range of electrical solutions.
For the 176,866-square-foot Women’s General Population and Vocational, Dining, and Programs buildings, the scope included:
- Electrical
- Fire alarm
- Security
- Data and audio-visual raceways
- 1,488 security-grade, tamper-proof lighting fixtures
- 819,383 feet of wire pulled
For the 190,000-square-foot Medical Mental Health building, the scope included:
- Electrical
- Fire alarm and smoke management
- Security cameras
- Lighting systems and control, featuring nearly 1,700 security-grade, tamper-proof lighting fixtures
- Exterior lighting
- Power services and electrical distribution, including:
- Two transformers
- Dual-fed switchboard
- 39 panelboards
- Five dry-type transformers
- Uninterruptable power supply
- Lighting inverter for emergency lighting
- Lightning protection
- Inmate cell water management
- Corrections facility access control allowing each door in the facility to be operated from a central control room
- 191,000 feet of conduit and 712,000 feet of wire and cable for power and lighting
- Additional 32,000 feet of conduit and 82,000 feet of wire for fire and smoke systems
Client Background
One of two prisons managed by the Utah Department of Corrections, the Utah State Correctional Facility is a nearly 1.3-million-square-foot complex housing inmates ranging from minimum security to supermax.