Sarens has recently completed a critical project at Duke Energy’s Oconee Nuclear Station in South Carolina, USA. The project involved the replacement of two feedwater heaters, each weighing a staggering 130,000 pounds (58.9 tons).

The project was a significant undertaking that required careful planning and execution to ensure its success. To achieve this, Sarens designed and implemented a temporary lifting device that was used on-site. The temporary lifting device was created as a single failure-proof system with dual-path load-carrying capabilities. A hydraulic lifter was also designed to install the temporary lifting device, which lifted it 39 feet (around 12 metres), rotated it, and placed it on top of the gantry crane.

Transporting all equipment to the job site via six trucks, the crew took three days to install it. The lift was a critical operation that required personnel to work in close proximity to rigging activities. The single failure-proof system was necessary to ensure the safety of the crew and the success of the project.

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The two new heaters were delivered to Sarens for offloading, and the crew lifted them vertically, downended them on the Sarens-provided runway, and transported them to the loading dock via an overhead crane. From the moment the feedwater heaters were disconnected to the moment they were in service again, it only took 12 days, which is an industry record, Sarens said.

Sarens is pleased to have been part of this milestone achievement and to help its clients replace these two vital nuclear station components. The project’s success is a testament to Sarens’ commitment to safety, engineering expertise, and dedication to delivering exceptional service to its clients.