Cost to provide temp generator during planned utility outage?

[peter d]

Maybe $500 per half hour. :lol:

 

[iwire]

Maybe $500 per half hour. :lol:

As I mentioned I don't get that involved in pricing, but I do know that for the 600 KW unit pictured above in the snow, it, with cables and delivery was more than $4,000.00 for the first day.

Once I had asked the shop to get it they called me back with the price and I had to call the customer and confirm they were good with that.

 

[growler]

As I mentioned I don't get that involved in pricing, but I do know that for the 600 KW unit pictured above in the snow, it, with cables and delivery was more than $4,000.00 for the first day.

Things like this sound expensive until you compare them to the other cost of running a business.

What would be the cost to replace one 400 Amp I-Line breaker?

What would it cost the company to have one sprinkler pipe freeze and burst?

 

[iwire]

Things like this sound expensive until you compare them to the other cost of running a business.

:thumbsup:

In this case it was a supermarket that grosses about a million a week and has tens of thousands of dollars in refrigerated / frozen product thawing out.

Not only do they lose a lot if they are closed, if they can be one of the only ones open during a widespread outage they can bring in much more than normal.

That genset sat there for four days running the store with one of us babysitting it around the clock.

 

[petersonra]

As I mentioned I don't get that involved in pricing, but I do know that for the 600 KW unit pictured above in the snow, it, with cables and delivery was more than $4,000.00 for the first day.

Once I had asked the shop to get it they called me back with the price and I had to call the customer and confirm they were good with that.

http://www.megawattage.com/generator-rental-pricing/

My wild guess at $500 a day does not seem that far out of line. it was based on some pricing I got a few years ago for a temporary rental.

When you need a generator between 20KW and 135KW, please go to our competition first and bring us their best written price. If we have that same size generator in stock, we will beat that written price.


Day Week 4 Week (28 Days)
175KW Diesel Generator $336 $840 $2520
250KW Diesel Generator $518 $1620 $4860
320KW Diesel Generator $720 $1800 $5400
350KW Diesel Generator $960 $2400 $7200
500KW Diesel Generator $1248 $3120 $9360
750KW Diesel Generator $2112 $4800 $14400
1000KW Diesel Generator $2256 $5640 $16920

*Generator rentals are subject to generator availability. Please call for Hurricane Season rates.

ENVIRONMENTAL FEE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL 2% OF THE GENERATOR RENTAL FEE
RENTAL INSURANCE FEE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL 18% OF THE GENERATOR RENTAL FEE
GENERATOR DELIVERY AND PICKUP CHARGES WILL BE BILLED TO THE CUSTOMER AT $150 ROUND TRIP.
OPTION: CUSTOMER MAY PICKUP AND RETURN GENERATOR FROM OUR FACILITY IN BROWARD COUNTY.

GENERATOR RENTAL PRICING ABOVE DOES NOT INCLUDE SALES TAX

IN HOUSE ELECTRICIANS ARE AVAILABLE AT $90 PER HOUR
DIESEL FUEL CHARGES WILL BE COMPUTED AT MARKET PRICES ON THE DAY OF DELIVERY
ELECTRICAL CABLE IS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL AT $10-$42 PER DAY PER CABLE (Depending on the size of the cable needed)
DIESEL FUEL TANK WILL BE FULL WHEN DELIVERED. DIESEL FUEL TANK MUST BE FULL WHEN RETURNED.

Pricing is valid throughout Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties only

**Shift Rates
The Generator Pricing Sheet above is based on an 8 hour per day/40 hours per week shift rate.
9 to 15 hours per day/41-79 hours per week will be charged at 1.5 times the base rental rate above
16 plus hours per day/80 hours per week will be charged at 2 times the base rental rate above

 

[JES2727]

I rented a couple of 200kw diesel powered temp units after the hurricane for about a grand a week, plus $250 for delivery and another $250 for pick-up. There was no option for daily rental, or monthly. It was week-to-week.

 

[malachi constant]

FYI, I looked up the actual load on the building (50kW). Called Cat, told them what we were looking at, asked for a quote for something in the 75kW range, they gave me an estimate of $1000/day. Good enough for my purposes, I bumped it up a little but to be safe. If it's $2500 it's not going to kill the project, just trying to get some numbers that pass the eye test should anyone question me.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.

 

[zbang]

Just to cover things- I had a rental company define a "rental week" as forty hours of operation (5 days at 8 hours/day, or less than two calendar days). We had to pay two weeks rental on the unit that was delivered and started Thursday afternoon, shut down on Sunday night, and picked up Monday. Also paid for the fuel, of course. You'll never get me on that one again.

 

[iceworm]

...just a thought: Outfits I work for like a containment under the generator/refueling area. 4x4 frame and poly coated geotextile. ...

most places will require some kind of containment. at least most places I have seen it done.

I have never in my life seen external containment required for a temporary generator.

Permanent generators for sure, but not temp.

Interesting. I've never worked in cities - maybe that is the difference. 35 years ago at a shipyard, the temporary gens (multiple 1 MW units) had to have containment - maybe because of the proximity to the water way. These days, the fed and state regulatory authorities are requiring containment on any running equipment or any refueling operation. Hummm .... I may be wrong on that. The regulatory authorities may not be requiring the containment. It could be the paperwork required for a teaspoon (literally) of DF on the ground (not in secondary containment) weighs more than the equipment. Of course, that would make the owners very interested in secondary containment.

ice

 

[iceworm]

...Here is a 1 meg we did at 1AM in a stone quarry so that paving work on an interstate highway project could contiue.

...Here are a couple from a scheduled shutdown at a hospital, we used three units, I can't recall why.

...Another 1AM job during a storm

...Another at a water pumping station

...This ones below we were working for a utility feeding some sort of building for them during an outage

...In this case we could go right into a power company vault for the tie in.

I will be honest, we leave the bond in place.

And nobody paid any attention to the N-G bonds at the generators? Yikes! (that's code for other expletives deleted)hmy:

What do you do if the plant is HRG? Still leave the gen N-G bonds in place? Double Yikes!:jawdrop:

Setting the code issues aside, there are a few safety issues and a few equipment damage issues.

Paralleled N-G conductors can raise the potential on the gen frame if there is a L-G fault until the OCP trips - which on a ground fault can be a while.

The equipment damage issues are associated with multiple paralleled gens (generally not a problem with two, usually three or more). The issue here is if a fault occurs at one gen or it's feeder, the other two can sometimes deliver enough fault current to really make a mess. This one can be a bit difficult to mittigate - still something I pay attention to.

Intentionally grounding an HRG system? - I'll leave that one as an exercise.

I suspect your response is: Hey, it is only temporary. The risk is low.

That's true. However, everyone is in a hurry, Cables all over the ground. Equipment running everywhere.
Barricades good? - Hope so.

I'm not saying your are wrong nor suggesting your company would ignore safety considerations. Just suggesting the risks are higher during abnormal conditions such as time-constrained construction.

Leaving the gen bonds in place on residential grade 5kw - 15kw is one thing. Leaving them in on 100KW+ is quite another.

I saw a report where a spike was driven through a 3 - 4/0 temp cable. The system was HRG and the gens N-G bonds were removed - nothing happened. If the bonds had been left in the gens, they would have been cleaning smoked DNA for a week. Yes I know it is not the same thing - just an example.

From your previous posts, I am certain your company is severly concerned with safety. Consider this a suggestion that perhaps the risks/consequences are high enough to consider mittigation.

ice

 

[iwire]

I have yet to work in a building with HRG.

Just don't see it here yet.

 

[iceworm]

Just to cover things- I had a rental company define a "rental week" as forty hours of operation (5 days at 8 hours/day, or less than two calendar days). We had to pay two weeks rental on the unit that was delivered and started Thursday afternoon, shut down on Sunday night, and picked up Monday. Also paid for the fuel, of course. You'll never get me on that one again.

Following is just an opinion - but I do deal with a lot of this stuff (temporary generation)

You might get the rental agency to define a "week" as 24/7, 168 hours. If so, you will still pay for it.

There are fixed costs with just owning the equipment - consider that a fixed daily part of the charges.

There are maintenance/depreciation costs associated with the number of hours run.

Both have to be paid.

Consider this: Rental unit goes on site and is run 24/7 for two months. That about 1500 hours. None of the rental units will be prime or continuous rated - they are all standby rated. Which means after two of these rentals the drivers are ready for complete rebuild. There has to be money there to do that. And the only place it can come from is (drum roll .........) You!

So no, they won't get you again - as in you won't get surprised by the extra hourly charge. But it will still have to be paid.

One thing you might consider is to ask for a daily charge (probably including 8 hrs run time) and an adder for every hour over 8hrs/day. Tell them you are going to run it continuous. Probably won't change the overall cost - but at least you will know the cost up front.

ice

 

[iceworm]

I have yet to work in a building with HRG.

Just don't see it here yet.

I don't know much about buildings - still, I didn't expect HRG in buildings. Industrial is where I would expect to see HRG. And you did mention stone quarries and pumping stations.

Probably no 13.8KV either - that is almost always HRG.

So, for only this particular part of the issue, none yet - Ok. Still, maybe tomorrow.

ice