OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Driven to help clients meet their goals for a connected future through rapid growth in densification of high speed wireless and wireline networks, Black & Veatch has retained the top global telecommunications ranking among U.S.-based engineering companies in Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” report.
The rankings, released Thursday, place Black & Veatch’s Telecommunications business at No. 1 for the ninth time in the past 10 years, reflecting the company’s leadership status among global engineering, construction and consulting companies. Numerous trends are driving the company’s telecommunications success, including continual client demand for high-speed/low latency public- and private-network broadband networks. In addition, economic development and public safety goals are driving investments in smart city/connected communities strategies that include robust network deployment programs.
International demand for Black & Veatch’s diverse set of infrastructure services – including power generation and delivery, renewable energy, and water and wastewater treatment – fueled the company’s performance in ENR’s power and water rankings.
The rankings come as utilities embrace new technologies that are reshaping power generation, transmission and distribution. Many organizations are advancing their systems through aggressive grid modernization, deploying smart devices, predictive analytics and active network management strategies. These new technologies are meeting old challenges posed by aging infrastructure assets as customers increasingly demand clean energy, reliability and a lowered carbon footprint.
“In each case, the development of these systems requires new approaches to network design, project construction and execution. For Black & Veatch, that requires greater reliance on the cross-functional capabilities of our global resources,” said Steve Edwards, Black & Veatch’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We recognize that our clients are evolving and need us to bring more comprehensive, integrated solutions that are part of a complete infrastructure system.”
The newly released list, which places Black & Veatch 12th overall on the Top 500 list and no. 9 in the Top 50 Designers in International Markets list, placed the diversified company second in power, fifth in water and sixth in sewer/wastewater.
Black & Veatch projects in 2018 included:
ELECTRIFY AMERICA: Black & Veatch continued design and construction work of hundreds of sites for Electrify America’s high-powered DC Fast Chargers, part of a nationwide network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that will dramatically reduce charging times and raise convenience for EV consumers. Electrify America’s ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers are capable of delivering enough energy for up to 20 miles of range per minute – or seven times faster than today’s 50kW DC chargers.
SHELL MICROGRID: Black & Veatch designed, procured and constructed a microgrid for Shell, which is using it to generate power while it also serves as a working test lab to explore advancements in renewable energy. Shell’s microgrid is intended to speed the adoption of technology by helping researchers better understand the challenges of integrating the components to provide safe, seamless, and reliable power to consumers.
WASTEWATER-ULU PANDAN: The Singapore Public Utilities Board’s wastewater treatment demonstration plant at Ulu Pandan was set up to test advanced used water treatment processes before full deployment in the future. The project captured global attention and won the Water/Wastewater Project of the Year Award at the 2018 Global Water Awards. The plant, jointly developed by PUB and a Black & Veatch + AECOM Joint Venture, enables PUB to test and validate advanced wastewater treatment technologies, allowing it to mitigate operating risks before incorporating the technologies at a larger scale, at the future Tuas WRP. When completed, Tuas WRP will be the world’s largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) facility, with a 30 percent more compact footprint compared to conventional plants.
TENASKA WESTMORELAND GENERATING STATION: Westmoreland Station began commercial operation ahead of schedule in December 2018 and features the first and only U.S. installation of fast-start MHPS J Series gas turbine generators. The 926-megawatt plant included a 500 Kv switchyard and switching station, as well as 1.5 miles of power transmission lines to connect the plant to the PJM grid.
GOOGLE-RENEWABLES: Diode Ventures, a Black & Veatch company, was selected to finance and develop a solar farm of up to 10 megawatts in Tainan City, Taiwan that will help expand Google’s position as the world’s largest purchaser of renewable energy. Black & Veatch will provide owner’s engineering and construction management services.
LNG-PRICO: Full commercial operations began aboard Golar LNG’s Hilli Episeyo, the pioneering floating liquified natural gas vessel featuring Black & Veatch’s patented PRICO© technology solution. The first two cargos of LNG produced aboard the ship left Cameroon, marking a major milestone in global market confidence in FLNG solutions. In April 2019, Black & Veatch earned a full notice to proceed on work to jointly outfit another Golar vessel, the Gimi, with PRICO© liquefaction technology.
BATTERY STORAGE: Black & Veatch completed 25 first-of-a-kind Hybrid Electric Buildings® in Irvine, California, part of the company’s efforts in support of Advanced Microgrid Solutions’ (AMS) commitment to provide Southern California Edison (SCE) with 50 megawatts of behind-the-meter battery storage capacity. Black & Veatch is providing site design, electrical engineering, permitting and construction services for AMS across several property portfolios.
HYPERLOOP: Black & Veatch, in partnership with Virgin Hyperloop One, released findings of a feasibility study to determine the potential for a Hyperloop route connecting Kansas City and St. Louis along Interstate 70. Hyperloop conceptually involves whisking passengers and cargo in pods hundreds of miles per hour through a low-pressure tube. Backers of the technology’s application in Missouri say such a trip between Kansas City and St. Louis would take roughly a half hour, far below the four hours required to drive it now. Black & Veatch, in the feasibility study released in October 2018, deemed the project commercially plausible, given that a leading possible route – the Interstate 70 corridor linking those two regional hubs – already is relatively flat and straight.
GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM FINAL EXPANSION: Black & Veatch completed final design of the Groundwater Replenishment System Final Expansion in Orange County, CA. The project is the world’s largest advanced water purification system for potable reuse. Black & Veatch also designed the initial expansion of the facility, which brought capacity to 100 million gallons per day. When construction is completed, the plant will have capacity for 130 million gallons per day.
YORKSHIRE WATER DYNAMIC MAINTENANCE PLANNING: In the United Kingdom, Black & Veatch is implementing a lean reliability-centered maintenance program encompassing Yorkshire Water’s entire asset base. This program, which features innovative use of data and mobile technology, enables the implementation of an effective predictive maintenance initiative covering 695 water and wastewater treatment works and 83,000 kilometers of water and sewerage pipes.
Editor’s Notes:
- Demand for Black & Veatch’s services is being met by more than 11,000 professionals who deliver and support engineering, construction, procurement, consulting and technology solutions.
- Engineering News-Record is a 101-year-old industry publication of BNP Media. ENR provides news, analysis, commentary and data that construction industry professionals use to do their jobs more effectively.
- The Top 500 Rankings are based on revenues within Black & Veatch’s individual business lines.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in building critical human infrastructure in Energy, Water, Telecommunications and Government Services. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction, operations and program management. Our revenues in 2018 were US$3.5 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and in social media.