Elm Road Generating Station

Oak Creek, WI

Record-setting offshore shafts provide a key element in a cooling water intake system.

Four shafts – lined with 12 ft. diameter steel casing - located 1.5 miles offshore, now connect Lake Michigan water to a 27 ft. diameter rock tunnel supplying 2 billion gal/day to a new power plant expansion. Guided and supported by fixed platforms in 45’ of water, the shafts penetrated through glacial soils and limestone bedrock to connect with the tunnel 105 ft. below lake bed. Excavation of the 14’-6” diameter rock shafts utilized the largest reverse circulation drill ever used for this purpose in North America.

Owner: We Power
Construction Manager: Bechtel Power Corporation
Tunnel Contractor: Kenny Construction Company
Intake System Engineer: Hatch, Mott Engineers