Responsive Menu
Add more content here...
Skip to main content

Total Energy Solutions

Join Our Team
Shop Our Inventory
Request A Quote
866 994 3213
Youtube
Menu

Case Studies

Categories
Case Studies

Engineered Resilience for a Mission-Critical Coastal Utility

CASE STUDY OVERVIEW

When the coastal wastewater treatment plant’s emergency generator failed during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the MUD faced years of noncompliance risk and operational vulnerability. Total Energy Solutions (TES) was brought in through a trusted referral to engineer and deliver a corrosion-resistant, hurricane-ready generator that would restore permanent power and meet state reliability requirements.
TES Caney Creek

PROJECT SCOPE

The wastewater facility, located within half a mile of the Gulf Coast and just off the Intracoastal Waterway, had historically relied on an elevated generator system. Following a generator failure, the district recognized the need for a more reliable and permanent standby power solution. Given the harsh coastal environment, including exposure to salt air, high humidity, and potential storm surge, the district required a more robust and resilient long-term solution.
TES PTS Line

A partner of Total Energy Solutions referred the district for a full system upgrade to improve durability, reliability, and compliance with current standards.

Competing suppliers quoted 16–18 weeks for a new generator. The district required a faster turnaround, and a long-term solution engineered specifically for the Gulf Coast’s extreme conditions. The system needed to be corrosion-resistant, storm-hardened, and capable of maintaining compliance while ensuring uninterrupted service during severe weather events.

INTEGRATED SOLUTION

TES Caney Creek - Image 2
TES specified and supplied a custom-engineered 100 kW Gillette natural gas generator designed for the plant’s environmental and reliability requirements. The solution incorporated: 
  • Sealed bottom and belly pan to prevent saltwater intrusion and capture potential leaks
  • All-aluminum enclosure and skid to resist rust and corrosion
  • Special-coated alternator rim for extended coastal durability
  • Hurricane-rated design to withstand high-velocity winds and wave exposure
TES PTS Line

The package provided a leak-free, rustproof and fully compliant standby power system that eliminated the municipal utility district’s dependence on temporary portable generators that could not withstand storm conditions. 

IMPLEMENTATION AND TIMELINE

Once the district approved the quote, TES immediately ordered the custom unit and coordinated installation logistics with its electrical and plumbing teams.
Week 1
Quote received and order placed
Week 6
Generator delivery, installation, and final gas tie-ins completed
The project required only a one-day site presence. No issues or delays occurred, and the new system was operational immediately following commissioning. This timeline was achieved through TES’s strong relationship with Gillette Generators.

OUTCOMES

The coastal wastewater facility regained full permanent power capability, restoring compliance and ensuring uninterrupted operations through future hurricane seasons. 

Rapid six-week sourcing vs. standard 16–18 weeks 

Permanent, corrosion-resistant solution protecting against wave wash and salt exposure 

Full compliance with power requirements for a 0.4 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) treatment plant

Ongoing maintenance agreement and service partnership established post-project 

This project demonstrates how strategic relationships, engineering flexibility and speed to delivery enable coastal utilities to achieve compliance, resilience and long-term reliability. The same engineered approach is ideal for other mission-critical coastal applications beyond water treatment plants, including radio towers, telecommunication sites, U.S. Coast Guard installations,  stormwater pump stations, port and harbor operations, emergency response centers and shelters, navigation beacons, coastal monitoring stations and maritime logistics facilities, where corrosion resistance, rapid deployment and storm-ready reliability are essential for uninterrupted performance. 

Total Energy Solutions delivers certainty where it matters most: for capital-intensive, safety-critical, and schedule-driven facilities across municipal, chemical, refinery, LNG, data center and infrastructure sectors where downtime isn’t an option. Learn more about Total Energy Solutions’ integrated solutions for the world’s most demanding operations at TotalEnergySolutions.com

Contact Us
Total Energy Solutions
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.