Project: Power generation and water/ wastewater treatment in-plant construction and maintenance
Client: JEA (formerly Jacksonville Electric Authority)
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Construction Period: 1998–2003

In 1997 JEA, Florida’s largest municipally owned electric utility and the eighth-largest utility in the United States, assumed management of Jacksonville’s water and sewer services. Recognizing the need to initiate several general construction and capital projects, JEA selected Zachry as one of two major alliance partners.

The alliance handled direct-hire construction, planning, construction management, and the maintenance of system-wide power generation and city water and sewer systems. Other services included turnkey engineer, procure and construct (EPC) services, consulting, purchasing, logistics, project controls, administration, accounting and outage support. The alliance also provided specialty services at the Northside Power Generating Station and Buckman Wastewater Treatment Facilities, such as I&C services and safety program management.

Additionally, Zachry’s role in the alliance involved assuming responsibility for major capital projects, including:

• the Northside Repowering Project, for which Zachry provided balance-of-plant and construction management services worth $135 million total installed value.
• the Brierwood Water Treatment Facility, a 15MG greenfield construction project.
• Deerwood, where an existing WTP was expanded from 9MGD to 15MGD.
• Buckman Wastewater Treatment Facility, for which Zachry furnished complete construction management services for the upgrade of 650 sewer lift stations with new SCADA and control systems, pumping and electrical.

Zachry also provided maintenance and repair services on equipment for power generation, water and wastewater treatment and transmission systems, and electrical substations. JEA’s alliance with Zachry improved safety and business alignment and lowered internal and indirect costs. Also, strategic projects moved more quickly from inception to execution. Time and cost on JEA’s new water treatment plants were reduced by 50 percent.