Del Monte Electric Completes Largest Electrical Installation of Solar System for 51 Schools in Mt. Diablo Unified School District

DUBLIN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Del Monte Electric, one of northern California’s leading electrical contractors, celebrates their recent completion of a 51-school electrical installation for solar power systems at Mount Diablo Unified School District. This large, 15-month project was a collaborative effort between a major solar provider, a general construction company, a steel erection company and an architectural and design firm to install over 12 megawatts of photo voltaic (PV) power to the entire school district, forecasted to reduce electric costs by $3 million per year.

“This was a very complex project and we had to manage a huge crew of sub-contractors to work under aggressive schedules to minimize impact to the school district.”

The project was completed in 4 phases and much of the work occurred during the year when school was open. Del Monte Electric provided the entire electrical installation at the school sites from the AC tie in at the utility point of connection, through the underground electrical distribution, PV equipment installation, PV panel installation and all other associated electrical work. Over 28,000 PV panels and over 150 miles of wire were installed on carports and rooftops throughout the campuses.

“The capabilities of our team were continually challenged during this project as we had to meet critical schedule deadlines, budgetary constraints and our solar expertise had to be top-notch,” said John Hunter, president, Del Monte Electric. “This was a very complex project and we had to manage a huge crew of sub-contractors to work under aggressive schedules to minimize impact to the school district.” He adds, “We were able to stay on schedule and within budget during this 15 month project and are tremendously pleased with our staff and partners on this monumental accomplishment.”

Del Monte Electric managed a construction crew of over 100 people and a multitude of complex issues: they trained the workforce on solar theory and installation practices; they needed to man multiple sites at the same time; and they had to complete all of the high schools which were the largest sites prior to the start of school. The work encompassed having three large underground crews working on boring, drilling, and excavating at the same time at different sites to complete the underpad electrical work in order to meet the schedule demands.

The funding source for the $56 million project came from voter-approved Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBS), and the elimination of 90% utility cost will free up financial resources desperately needed for the district. Another major benefit of this massive project is the elimination of carbon dioxide emissions, and estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that these solar systems will avoid production of nearly 400,000 tons of emissions over the next 30 years.

Del Monte Electric

Founded in 1938 and in business for 75 years, Del Monte Electric specializes in public and privately funded projects that require a high degree of electrical knowledge, have aggressive schedules and require complex installations. The company builds long term relationships with customers and is consistent in delivering quality work on time and within budget. Del Monte Electric’s successful track record includes projects ranging in size from $50 thousand to over $10 million in electrical value. Their expertise is focused on healthcare facilities, solar installations and educational institutions, performing work throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California region. For more information please visit www.delmonteelectric.com.