Portsmouth City Council required a permanent standby generator installation for Harry Sotnick House Care Home.

The site had been relying on a temporary hire generator for a long period of time. The hire set was positioned on grass at the top of a hill, which was not a suitable long-term arrangement for a care home environment.

The client needed a permanent, automatic backup power system that could change over during a mains power outage, improve resilience for the site and reduce long-term reliance on hire equipment.

The existing temporary generator arrangement was not ideal for a permanent care home backup power strategy.

A full installation was required, including civil works, cable ducts, generator base preparation, new changeover equipment and a remote alarm panel in reception. The site also had to remain safe and operational throughout the works, which was particularly important given the care home environment.

The civil works presented the biggest challenge. New ducts and a generator plinth had to be installed while maintaining safe access, managing disruption and keeping the site functioning as normal.

The project was also won by tender, meaning P&I Group had to provide detailed programmes of work, proposed equipment information, provisional drawings, risk assessments, method statements and a full tender response to give the client confidence in the delivery approach.

P&I Group supplied and installed a 165kVA standby generator with an automatic transfer switch and integral 24-hour day tank.

The works included the installation of new cable ducts through to the changeover room, where new panels were installed. A remote alarm panel was also fitted in reception, providing visible alarm and fault indication for site staff.

The generator supplied was a J165K set, with an additional cable connection box designed and built by P&I Group and installed at the rear of the generator. A new SDMO Verso ATS panel was installed, along with new ducts and a prepared plinth for the generator to sit on.

The project was designed by one design engineer and delivered by two electrical/mechanical engineers. JCM Groundworks completed the civil works, with all other works completed directly by P&I Group.

From tender award and purchase order, the full works were completed within 12 working weeks.

The project included civil works, generator installation, cable ducting, ATS installation, remote alarm panel installation and commissioning. The care home now has a permanent automatic standby power system in place, replacing the long-term hire set and providing a more suitable long-term solution.

The installation gives the site improved resilience during power outages and removes the ongoing cost and uncertainty of relying on temporary hire equipment.