City: Baltimore
State:  Maryland
General Contractor: New River Electrical Corporation

Drilled Shafts and Soldier Piles Support New Loch Raven Substation for BG&E

In 2023, Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (BG&E) launched the Loch Raven Substation project in Baltimore, Maryland. This project involves the construction of a new electrical substation to replace an aging facility nearing its distribution capacity. The new 110-13kV substation
is designed to meet increasing regional energy demands and enhance service reliability, with the goal of minimizing potential customer outages.

Schnabel’s Role

Schnabel teamed up with the precast installer Nelson Precast and the General Contractor New River Electrical Corporation to install drilled shafts and soldier piles for the proposed perimeter wall. This work was essential for installing wall panels that will protect the future substation. Schnabel’s scope included:

• Installation of Drilled Shafts: 170+ drilled shafts reinforced with rebar cages to anchor protective walls.
• Installation of Soldier Piles: Structural piles installed to provide lateral support for the retaining system and wall panels.

Challenges

A major challenge during this project was the drilling conditions, as Schnabel had to drill through hard rock during the installation of the drilled shafts. Drawing on decades of experience and specialized equipment, Schnabel quickly adapted to the tough subsurface conditions. In addition, the team had to maintain high precision in pile placement and concrete elevation to ensure both structural integrity and proper project alignment.

Conclusion

Despite the geotechnical challenges encountered during the project, Schnabel completed its phase of the project on schedule and to the client’s satisfaction. Schnabel’s efforts will play a big role in helping BG&E upgrade its electrical substation.