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Less is more at the new Humboldt Bay powerplant
When construction on the Humboldt Bay powerplant in Eureka is complete, the people of the North Coast will enjoy a reliable source of power than produces 30 percent fewer CO2 emissions, uses very little water, and is 30 percent more efficient than the existing plant. That kind of advanced technology requires precision construction, and that’s the kind of job you only trust to union labor. The new plant is being constructed on the same site as the old one, so no new tranmission lines will be needed. The new plant will feature 10 new Wartsila 18VDF50 natural gas engines, about 10 tons each. The pour for the platform required sinking 1,027 pilings.  (Left to right) Robert Dailey, Local 751-Eureka; Pat Cullingna, Local 1281; Pedro Ramos and Jose Muñoz, both from Local 751. "You should have seen this place with all those pilings sticking up," said Don Trosset, Civil Superinten-dent for Haskell, the primary subcontractor of the project. "It looked like a bomb went off." You’d never suspect that looking at the 34,706 square feet of new, finished concrete that make up the platform of the new power plant. Complications with the anchor bolt design threatened to put the project behind schedule, but the ingenuity and hard work of the carpenters on the job allowed the work to go ahead on schedule. In less than 8 weeks union carpenters have made 16 pours placing 4,647 yards of concrete, and 548 anchor bolts.  Tony Weiner, Local 751-Eureka.  Stuart Johnson, Local 751-Eureka.  Walt Thomas, Local 751-Eureka.
 Harold Silifavia, Local 217 (left), and Sikailani Vei, Local 713 (right). Bob Delgatto, the project controls manager for Haskell, has nothing but praise for the work. "This is an outstanding accomplishment and a great first step in bringing the project in on time or even with early completion," he said. "Each and every one of the men in the field have poured out everything they have to make this happen. More importantly, they have done it safely, and with a great attitude." The project was a much-needed shot-in-the-arm to the sagging local economy, providing $30 million in construction payroll, about $2.6 million in supplies purchased locally, and another $5.8 million in local sales and use taxes. The project is one of the largest employers on the North Coast since the shutdown of the Evergreen pulp mill in 2008. Some of the men on the job were formerly employees at the pulp mill, but the mill often found itself at odds with local environmentalists. Most of the carpenters feel good about the new PG&E plant.
 Mate K. Ofa, Local 217.  Dave Meadows, Local 751-Eureka.  Dan Cooley, a piledriver from Local 34.  Chris Mundell (left) is a veteran of the Helmets to Hardhats program, Gary Robinson (right) put in 25 years at the pulp mill before it closed down.
"I love it," says Gary Robinson. "I worked at the pulp mill for 25 years. This project is more satisfying in every way." The project is scheduled for completion in April 2010. The 21 journeymen and 4 apprentices working on the new powerplant will move on, but the powerplant they built will go on for many years to come providing less—less emissions and less pollution—in the one of the more beautiful places in Northern California.  Dave Webb, Local 751-Eureka, came through the Helmets to Hardhats program.  Mike Tracy (left) and Brent Powell, both from Local 751-Eureka.  The powerplant job site.  Kevin Barr, Local 751-Eureka.  Robert Annis, Local 751-Eureka, is also a veteran of the pulp mill.  Ben Perreira, Local 751-Eureka. |
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