The Palomar Energy Center is a 550-megawatt power plant, owned and operated by the San Diego Gas & Electric Company and was put into commission on April 1, 2006. The power plant produces electricity through a combination of natural gas-fueled and steam-driven turbines and has been heralded by top state energy officials for being over 30% more efficient than older power plants in the region, but that extra efficiency comes at a price, the combustion turbines operate at near their maximum wattage output to gain that efficiency causing substantial wear and tear on the equipment. To avoid any unforeseen breakdowns, a regimented and timely maintenance program must be followed with major overhauls preformed regularly. Performing these tasks required the use of expensive, rented portable cranes to lift heavy replacement parts into place, but due to the small acreage footprint of the Palomar Energy Center, moving portable cranes around the site to lift those parts into place became an arduous and time consuming endeavor greatly increasing yearly plant maintenance costs.

The cost effective solution to this problem was to design and build a fixed galvanized steel overhead bridge crane to be used instead of traditional and cumbersome portable cranes with wide outrigging stabilizers that must be constantly adjusted for proper balance. This reduced operating costs and the down time required for servicing the equipment in addition to minimizing the risk of unbalanced crane loads.The final result created a safer, more efficient working environment and improved the facilitys overall reliability factor.

The construction of the crane consisted of hot-dip galvanizing of large complex triangular structures and heavy steel beam trusses used for the main elevated crane rail system. The ingenuity of the design played a critical role in the decision making process. Each structure was designed to maximize the galvanizing kettles operating parameters insuring efficient and effective project cost control. The crane has an enormous hoist capacity consisting of a 65 ton main hook and a 15 ton auxiliary hook located on a single trolley with a cast in-place foundation. Both can be operated using either a local cab or via a remote control device.

Hot-dip galvanizing was primarily specified for this project for its unique corrosion control properties due to the fact that the crane is located in a harsh, corrosive coastal environment. We are grateful to play such a significant role in ensuring that this efficient, modern power plant will be in service for decades to come.