West Deptford Energy LLC is building a new, 738-megawatt, natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant along the Delaware River in West Deptford, NJ. The new plant required the delivery of multiple 570,000-pound generators, the first one by mid-February 2013. West Deptford Energy approached AP Construction, Inc. (AP), which was already mobilized in the vicinity of the new power plant, building a bridge over the Mantua Creek for the new Paulsboro Marine Terminal, to assist with transporting these units. The plan to ship the units by barge via Mantua Creek, unload them using multi-axle trailers, and slowly transport them two miles to the new site.

Urban Engineers (Urban) was contacted by AP in December 2012 to design a bulkhead for the barge to land for the purpose of offloading these large pieces of equipment. While designing the bulkhead, AP asked Urban to also design a haul road leading from the bulkhead and tie into the road that the company had partially constructed for the Paulsboro Marine Terminal. Urban’s quick and efficient response led to the successful delivery of the first load on February 15.

“This project was particularly challenging due to the strict timeline and fact that the temporary bulkhead and new haul road were to be designed on existing marsh with very soft soils,” said Urban’s Project Manager Michael Wagner, PE. “That coupled with the expected, combined loads of these deliveries totaling more than 300 tons meant there was no room for error. But thanks to the outstanding teamwork, communication, and efficient response demonstrated by the project team, the first load was successfully delivered by the deadline.”