AGENDA TITLE:
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Adopt a Resolution Authorizing City Manager to Execute Five-Year Contract with Camlin, Inc. of Peachtree Corners, GA for Transformer Monitoring Pilot Project ($129,023.17) (EU)
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MEETING DATE:
January 15, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Jasminder Singh, Engineering Operational Technology Supervisor
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a five-year contract with Camlin, Inc. of Peachtree Corners, GA for a Transformer Monitoring Pilot Project in the amount of $129,023.17.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Lodi Electric Utility (LEU) has a fleet of substation power transformers of varying vintage. While these units undergo regular maintenance, greater operational insight is needed into their working conditions.
Camlin, Inc. (Camlin) provides an all-encompassing online transformer monitoring system that will allow LEU to gain greater operational and engineering insight. Due to the vintage of LEU’s transformer fleet and the importance of substation transformers operating within the electrical grid, Camlin was chosen to provide a pilot project for one of the substation power transformers online monitoring. The pilot will look to monitor transformer bushings, oil, temperature, load, and more. Bushing, oil, core and coil windings, and other components are usually tested in four- to five-year intervals, with some of the components on an annual basis. Online monitoring will allow LEU to monitor, in real-time, these components, supplementing the normal testing intervals rather than replacing which leads to greater confidence in operability of transformer units nearing 30 to 40 years of age - important considering these vital pieces of equipment cost upwards of $3 million.
In accordance with Lodi Municipal Code, Section 3.20.070 and 3.20.075, bidding shall be dispensed when the commodity can be obtained from only one vendor and engineering services contracts are specifically exempt from advertising and bidding requirements with such contracts awarded on the basis of professional qualifications and experience, quality of service, past performance, and negotiated prices.
Camlin is the only vendor to provide the TOTUS System which is the world’s first and only total transformer monitor to combine into a single system monitoring of:
- Dissolved Gas Analysis
- Partial Discharge
- Bushing Monitoring
- Through Fault Currents
- Transformer Analytics
- Transformer Arcing
Camlin can provide the monitoring system, install all components, and provide real-time monitoring and support at a reasonable cost. After discussions with several medium and large electric utilities, Camlin was chosen for their knowledge, support, and examples of transformer component failure findings prior to catastrophic failure. The pilot project will look to ensure that an entire fleet worth of transformer monitoring would provide greater benefit to LEU and LEU’s customers to prolong active replacement of substation power transformers where the need is not present.
If successful, this pilot project will lead to a plan to install transformer monitoring equipment and services to all existing and future substation power transformers.
STRATEGIC VISION:
5A. Infrastructure: Invest in innovative infrastructure with a high Return of Investment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Total amount of $129,023.17 over five years, effective March 1, 2025 through February 28, 2030.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Included as part of the City’s approved Capital Improvement Program - EUCP-25003.contracts.
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Jeff Berkheimer
Electric Utility Director
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Scott R. Carney
City Manager