The substantial presence of ISS on the London Underground projects looks set to continue, with ISS heavily involved in all of the current Sub Surface Rail (SSR) upgrade projects.

SSR Package 1B

With works on the SSR Package 1A Project with Balfour Beatty Engineering Services ongoing from 2010, ISS will continue to provide a full time resource of two commissioning teams until early summer 2012.  In addition to commissioning services, ISS provide further project support with the provision HV & LV Authorised Engineers to assist the changeover programmes, bringing the newly installed and commissioned AC & DC switchgear and rectifiers into service.

SSR Package 4

Following a programme of invasive surveys at various SSR package 4 sites in 2010, ISS submitted for approval technical reports, method statements and drawings for each circuit requiring remote end Translay protection upgrades to ensure compatibility with the new Griffith House substation.  Following a lengthy approval process ISS have now been awarded a significant contract from ABB to manufacture, install and commission the protection panels.  Production will be carried out at the ISS manufacturing facility in Hyde, during early to mid 2011.  This is in preparation for bringing the new Griffith House switchgear into service in early 2012, which ISS hope to install and commission during 2011.  Once again ISS HV & LV Authorised Engineers are expected to support the changeover programmes.

SSR Package 2

ISS recently received the contract from UK Power Networks Services to undertake the remote end Translay Protection upgrades for the new switchgear going into Barons Court and Earls Court substations as part of the SSR2 project.  This will be quite a quick turnaround project, with the circuits expected to go into service during the summer of 2011.  Engineering and design of the protection panels is underway, with ISS and UKPNS working together to ensure the tight timescales are achieved….

SSR Package 1A

ISS are in consultation with Enterprise to provide resources for the upgrade of various 11kv and 22kV circuits at a number of the SSR1A substations.  This is expected to include the supply of installation and commissioning resource, as well as the LV & HV resource required to bring new and refurbished equipment into service.

London Underground SSR Project Support

ISS provide full time senior commissioning and project management support directly to the London Underground Power Upgrade project team, supporting all current SSR packages.  This involves a significant input into the design, delivery and commissioning activities associated with each of the packages.  This service looks set to continue as the progress of the SSR projects continues to gather pace….

Following the Coalition Governments announcement of Education sector spending cuts in the summer of 2010, the nationwide Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme was one of the first to see its funding significantly reduced.

ISS were heavily involved with the BSF projects, supplying LV Switchgear to numerous contractors for schools nationwide, and as such showed great interest when the Government were challenged in the High Court by Local Councils who deemed the cut backs were unfair and legally flawed.

In February 2011, following a judicial review, the High Court ruled in favour of the Local Councils, ruling the Government decision to scrap the BSF project as illegal.  ISS believe this is a positive ruling for everyone involved with the projects, particularly for those directly involved with the schools such as the pupils, staff and local communities.

It should be pointed out that the ruling be approached with caution, as it by no means confirms all BSF projects will be resuming.  The final decision for any individual projects still lies with the Secretary of State who will judge each case on merits.

It is however a positive step in the right direction….

ISS Ltd are proud to announce a successful tender and contract award for a multi million pound refurbishment of the Electrical Distribution network infrastructure at HJ Heinz in Kitt Green, Wigan.

ISS have worked with Heinz for a number of years providing critical Switchgear Maintenance and support services for the entire HV & LV Network.  The contract award follows on from a lengthy review of the existing HV Installation & LV Installation systems, identification of plant to be replaced or upgraded, and the development of a detailed proposal, submitted to Heinz late in 2010.

The project will be delivered over 2 years, with a staged programme of substation replacement works, totalling 14 substations.  This will involve substation de-commissioning and removal, followed by installation and commissioning of replacement HV & LV Switchgear, provision of HV and LV retrofit solutions, and the replacement of the entire HV cable distribution system.  A complete SCADA system will be installed and commissioned to tie the system together.  ISS will manufacture and supply our own Omega Switchgear range of LV Distribution Switchboards, and will install and commission Siemens Simoprime 11kV Switchgear for the HV equipment.

This is a significant achievement for ISS after putting in a lot of hard work, together with the project team at the Heinz Kitt Green site, to submit a viable and competitive proposal for approval from the HJ Heinz Board of Directors in the United States.

Managing Director Chris Lomax stated “we are delighted with the decision to be awarded the contract by Heinz. This demonstrates the strength of the Heinz and ISS relationship, built over years of successfully working together.  It also further highlights the quality of the Power Engineering Services that ISS can offer our customers”.

Following an early morning weekend call out to a Power failure at Forest Bank prison in Manchester, ISS were able to attend site on the same day to retrofit a replacement MCCB for a faulty device and provide a temporary generator on site due to the temporary loss of mains.  Once changed over to generator power the engineers located the primary cable fault and repaired the cable before changing back to mains power within 48 hours of the original call out.

Our client Kalyxx, expressed their deepest gratitude with the speedy and efficient response from ISS, resulting in a very successful outcome for all concerned.

ISS believe this type of response demonstrates the flexibility and competence of their Site Service team and supply chain, and is typical of our commitment to all of our customers.

Following a supplier audit and approval process ISS are proud to announce their new status as a GAL Approved supplier. This is a significant milestone in the upcoming project works at Gatwick Airport Limited, where ISS will be providing a number of Omega LV switchboards as part of the power upgrade works currently being undertaken by the Airport.