TWO PT&D PROJECTS STRIVE FOR EFFICIENT DELIVERY

These fascinating facts constitute the 1.6 GWac Single-Axis Tracker Plant at Sudair, the first GW-scale solar PV project in Saudi Arabia and the first under the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF’s) renewable energy programme. Located
165 km from Riyadh, the plant has solar PV technology using bi-facial panels with trackers and a state-of-the-art automated robotic cleaning solution.

A project of ‘giga’ scale

The scope of work for the project includes three components: three groups of Solar PV of 1,612 MWac
(806 MWac + 403 MWac + 403 MWac), two 33/380 kV Pooling Substations (PSSs), and a 380 kV Overhead Tower Line (OHTL) between the PSS and Electrical Special Facility (ESF) Gantry. “This is the largest single-contracted solar PV plant in the world and the largest of its kind in Saudi Arabia, for which the long-term Power Purchase Agreement has been signed for 25 years,” observes Bharathi Kumar, Task Force Leader. “A project of significant magnitude, with the second-lowest cost globally for solar PV electricity production at USD 1.239 cents/kWh, its mega impact will be translated to energize 185,000 homes and offset nearly 3 million tons of emissions.”

Despite the size and complexity of the project, Project Control Manager, Vikas Shetty, is a happy man. “As per our progress plan, we were to have completed 87.99% at this point in time. However,” he pauses suspensefully, “we have actually achieved 90.52% progress thanks to coordinated teamwork!” he adds with a flourish.

As per contract, the team were to excavate 20,000 cum hard rock in the prescribed timeline. However, during execution, the team encountered 60,000 cum of it on braking the surface to accelerate the durability tracks that were critical to the project. Additional resources and crashing subsequent special surfaces saved the day. Anticipating the risk of parabola asphalt paving during the tendering stage, the contract team collaborated with the site execution team to redesign the mini parabola with a 33” slope in the performance track, to accommodate the parabola portion.

The team learned, unlearned, and developed inhouse technologies for the specialized flexible steel drum roller, pneumatic tyre roller and curved parabola paver which are digitally controlled machinery to ensure compaction of asphalt in the parabola of 0* to 44* angles that varies every meter in the transition portion. Effective use of frontier technologies helped to ensure workmen safety, improve productivity, optimally organize activities and avoid manual errors and reworks in making the parabola profile.

“We introduced advance technology in the form of a non-nuclear asphalt density gauge that tests the density of asphalt in real time saving hugely on time and cost,” shares Manager (QA/QC), M James Iruthayaraja.

Safety and sustainability at Sudair

Achieving 9+ million safe manhours as of 9th September 2023 with zero LTIs and fatalities is a wonderful statement on their EHS efforts. “We have won the RoSPA Gold and the Annual EHS Award for HSE performance, both in 2022–23,” Pradeep Kumar, EHS In-charge, proclaims with a proud thumbs-up. “We have clocked more than 235,000 training manhours and have successfully completed all HSSE audits without any NCRs or major findings.”

Being a renewable energy project, sustainability is at the core of the Sudair Project team’s strategy. The robotic cleaning system to clean the solar panels will save water and reduce human intervention, and the entire lighting at the PV plant will run on solar power. All the wood used as packing material is being reused at site for temporary facilities and barricading. All submissions are done through Thinkproject, avoiding hardcopies. “We ensure that all reptiles found during construction are safely relocated to their natural habitat,” informs Pradeep. “We only use municipality-approved contractors for waste disposal at approved locations and diesel spill kits to avoid contaminating the earth with designated, separate concrete washout areas. Disposable plastic bottles are banned at site; only reusable ones are allowed.” The project is a frequent top contributor on World Environment Day (which falls on 5 June) and has been recognized twice for its WED initiatives in 2022 and 2023.

One of the world’s largest solar PV plants demands innovation and efficiency, and Bharathi and team with their
cutting-edge solutions for enhanced productivity have propelled the project forward, promising a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.

“Our IRCON project is of national importance that will impact the whole of the Kashmir Valley,” declares Manoj Kumar, Project Manager, describing the T74R & T77 Package that is an integral part of the larger Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project aiming to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India. “This rail link will give the people of the region access to better education, healthcare facilities, and business opportunities, which will in time boost economy, tourism, and cultural exchange,” he adds.

Wisely managing resources in tough, trying conditions & terrains

The harsh and unforgiving terrain and conditions are Manoj Kumar and his team’s biggest impediments, operating in hilly terrains with extreme weather conditions where the temperature plummets to −7°C with snow falls during winter. “The roads are extremely dangerous and often closed due to landslides,” Manoj shares grimly, “so, resource mobilization is tough and, to add to these, we face local disturbances, security hassles, and local ROW issues.”
The team under his leadership is standing firm, committed to deliver.

The onus on Planning Manager Prince Mishra is to arrange for materials and drawing approvals from the European consultant appointed by IRCON exactly as per the specifications mentioned in the contract documents, for which they have had to identify new vendors. Considering the criticality of efficient resource mobilization and allocation, the team focuses on the most important tasks, utilizing resources for those ear-marked activities by identifying suitable staff and subcontractors for a particular work based on their ability and past work experience.

“After our initial effort to source workmen from other parts of the country failed, we decided to train local workmen and developed local vendors to fulfil our requirements,” remarks Prince. “Developing local vendors to take up cost-effective civil works like doors, windows, rolling shutters, and false ceiling work has given us better control over execution.”

A refined process for smooth execution

Manoj cannot afford to let his guard slip, constantly monitoring processes and optimizing project design to reduce costs and increase the scope of items with higher gross margins. “Our value engineering does not compromise on the design requirement but adheres to all contractual requirements, all the while maintaining the L&T standard of quality,” he avers.

Fully aware that speed of execution translates to time saving and better margins, the team has introduced smart methods like using a Winch Machine to lay the 33 kV, 11 kV, and LT cables, which has made the cable laying inside the tunnel 4–5 times quicker, using power tools during erection to reduce time, and prefabricating roof truss structures that saved time to install roof trusses. By focusing on completing the civil work and equipment foundation on priority, they have succeeded in installing the electrical equipment directly, thus reducing double handling of equipment.

Shifting heavy machinery and material over the tough terrains has been another uphill task, specifically the 10–12 ton heavy 33 kV cable that had to be laid inside the tunnel. “As our access was cut off after the ballast-less track was laid by the civil agency, we fabricated a dip lorry with a capacity of 15 tons with the available resources at site to shift and lay the cable drums easily,” shares Vikas Dhamanna, Construction Manager (ELEC), adding that their ‘innovation’ also facilitated shifting the 11 kV cable drums, LT cable drums, and LT panels inside the tunnel.

“We successfully shifted and installed a 1,500 kVA DG set weighing around 24 tons, four 3.15 MVA power transformers weighing around 8 tons each, four 800 kVA transformers, and 33 kV & 11 kV GIS panels, despite severe space constraints, optimally utilizing resources, manpower, and time,” adds Vivik Kumar, Construction Manager (ELEC).

The TMT reinforcement and structural steel fabrication was carried out by a separate team parallelly at a centralized store to complete the cut-and-bend process in advance and reduce wastage in the process. Tower cranes mobilized for activities above the first floor saved lead time to shift material, which improved productivity. Further, to combat the unpredictability of the weather to an extent, the team plans their work according to reliable 10-day forecasts, while work proceeds uninterrupted inside the tunnel even on rainy days.

Key focus on EHS & Quality

Maintaining high EHS standards is imperative for progress, and apart from vigorously monitoring near-miss incidents and lead indicators, the team ensures proactive risk identification, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring. “Tunnel E&M works are first of their kind for PT&D,” informs Avinash Kumar, EHS Officer. “We have identified and analysed potential risks, meticulously prepared and are implementing EHS SOPs for each activity as warranted by the location and project requirements.” Special precautions are being taken to ensure safety in landslide-prone areas, securing offices, staff, and workmen establishments.

“Our team systematically monitors and evaluates progress and output by identifying and addressing any deviation from the desired quality and client-approved method statements, performs thorough root-cause analysis for corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurring issues,” asserts Manoj. “Our success is because we are all aligned and focused on the project milestones and roles,” he smiles broadly.

The project location is greener with the 1,250+ saplings the team has thus far planted, of which 1,215 are alive and thriving. These include apple, walnut, chinar, and pear, along with 1,000 local trees planted in 3 days as a part of Project GreenHands. As a community outreach, the project team contributes towards education through book donations and digital classrooms. “Apart from providing 50 sets of books through the district administration for underprivileged students to help them prepare for their UPSC examinations, we are working with two different schools to set up digital classrooms by October,” informs Prince.

Manoj and team are committed to making their project a success despite an uphill struggle, and that they are succeeding is reflected in their improved margins; here is wishing them the very best to deliver handsomely.