Critical Lift at Hydro Station
Moving a Large Fuel Tank at Lillooet Seton Hydro Station
At Seton Hydro Station in Lillooet, Can Ridge supported the safe mobilization of a 61,000-litre fuel tank during a complex shutdown involving tight access and proximity to high-voltage power lines. Working with linemen and technicians, the team developed and executed a detailed lift plan with strict safety controls, laser measurements, grounding procedures, and coordinated spotters to complete the high-risk operation safely and precisely.
Location
Lillooet
Client
Hydro Station
Services
Crane Services
The Challenge
The Seton Hydro Station in Lillooet was shut down for repairs and required a team of highly skilled crane operators to perform a very difficult and high-risk job of mobilizing a 61,000 litre fuel tank. The work area involved extremely tight conditions, a narrow access path, and minimal clearance between the lift zone and high-voltage power lines.
The Solution
To assess the scope of work, a team of professional linemen and technicians were brought in to work out a plan of action with our crane operators. An initial project meeting was completed allowing the team to develop a comprehensive project plan. The key factors considered were the safety of everyone involved, the extremely tight working conditions, the intricacy of the positioning of the fuel tank, and the very high-risk and minimal height distance between the fuel tank and the high voltage 61,000 kb power lines along with the narrow path to manoeuvre the trucks in. If the equipment got too close to the power lines, the team could be in danger of static from the power lines which could be very harmful. This was a critical and complicated lift, only to be executed by very skilled and highly qualified professionals.
The Outcome
The job was executed safely and successfully over a weekend. The Hydro Station crew was very impressed with the Can Ridge team, and one week later they specifically requested our team return to execute the transition of 3 transformers weighing 20,000 pounds each, as well as 3 (2,000 kilowatt) generators. Can Ridge was more than happy to complete the follow-up work.
Coordinated Lift Under Tight Clearance
Our crane truck had to be grounded to ensure the safety of our operators and everyone involved on site. The area was measured between the ground and the power lines using a laser to ensure proper clearance. Three crew members were assigned to both crane operators and an additional member was assigned to monitor the blind spots of the crane operators every move.
The fuel tank was resting on a 16 ft lowbed trailer to ensure there was ample distance between the power lines above and the final transition point. Our crane operator backed up the trailer as close as possible to the lift zone beneath the power lines. Due to the weight and positioning of the tank, a 47-ton knuckle boom crane joined our 60-ton crane to perform a tandem lift and safely offload the tank within the narrow operating window while maintaining strict clearance from the power lines.