The Northwest Data Center Communication Hub (NDCCH) electrical upgrade project, announced in February 2025, is officially complete. The primary electrical infrastructure upgrades wrapped up in late January, with a few additional HVAC components installed in early April.
Upgrading the electrical system success
The NDCCH facility was originally designed and constructed with a single uninterrupted power supply and an emergency generator. In response to emerging operational challenges and updated electrical codes, the project team undertook this upgrade to enhance power system redundancy and ensure the continued reliability of mission-critical services.
As part of the upgrade, the following infrastructure was implemented:
- A 1500 kVA transformer to meet the power and energy demands of the data center.
- An 800 kVA UPS with a seven-minute battery backup to ensure continued operation during maintenance and unexpected outages.
- A dual-input generator connection to support a portable generator outlet.
- New 250A busway distribution for IT cabinets, improving power resiliency to IT equipment.
As a result, the NDCCH facility now meets the greater redundancy requirements necessary for ongoing operations. These updates also meet the Land, Buildings & Real Estate (LBRE) organization's new Electrical Code Safety Program standards, which mandate all university buildings have their electrical distribution infrastructure regularly maintained every three to five years.
A successful partnership
Congratulations to the project team on successfully completing the upgrade, ensuring reliable power for our mission-critical services.
Special thanks to the following contributing teams:
- Project Sponsors: Matthew Ricks, Thomas Villagomez
- Environmental Health & Safety: Robert Porterfield, Frank ‘Mo’ Miranda, Brandon M. McClintock, Jason Lopez
- LBRE Department Project Management: Svjetlana Radovic, John H. Blake
- LBRE Building Maintenance: Greta Simpson, Daragh Conway, Joy Willingham, Jeffrey Mello, Josh Wilkins
- LBRE Energy Operations: Anuj Gupta
- LBRE Facility Automation Controls: Jose A. Lopez, Austin Diaz
- UIT Facility Engineering: Bruce Phillips
- UIT Hosting Services & Technical Facilities: Bryan Bentley, Christopher Slama, Marlon Tarape, Victor Reyes, Lucrecia Kim-Boswell, Javier Reyes, Ryan G Quintos, Pablo Hernandez, Jeffrey Hui
