Power Prototypes for Airports
By Staff -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 9/1/2003
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected EYP Mission Critical Facilities, New York City, to develop prototype designs for a 24/7 electrical power infrastructure that can be adapted to all major U.S. metropolitan airports. The designs are intended to be scalable to large, medium and small airport facilities; incorporate the same program components; and be easily upgradable and expandable.
The primary focus will be critical power on airside activities and facilities, including air control towers, radar facilities and runway lights. "In the event of a localized or wider power outage, such as we recently experienced in the Northeast, the new system will be designed to provide an even greater degree of operational continuity, further assuring uninterrupted FAA airport operations," said James Warren, Atlantic regional director of EYP MCF. "At many airports, essential and general power will also benefit from the new mission critical electrical infrastructure.
"This is an extremely important project for our firm," said Steve Einhorn, EYP MCF chairman. "The focus at airports since 9/11 has been on security and safety. Now, the FAA has once again raised the bar to enhance airside safety, security and operations by assuring a significantly higher degree of continuous power reliability. When we complete this project, the operational reliability at our major metropolitan airports around the country will be greatly enhanced."
