Industrial Electrical Systems
Industrial electrical systems — also referred to as plant electrical infrastructure or facility power systems — are the backbone of safe, reliable and affordable operations. As part of industrial power delivery, medium- and low-voltage electrical systems connect industrial, refining, petrochemical and commercial facilities to the grid, supporting critical operations and long-term performance.
Why Industrial Electrical Systems Matter
The demand for robust electrical infrastructure is increasing as industries pursue enhanced reliability, operational efficiency and energy resiliency. Developing strategic infrastructure plans that prioritize safety and reliability is critical to supporting both high-voltage interconnections and facility-level systems. Deep technical knowledge and integrated capabilities across planning, design and execution help modernize aging infrastructure while advancing new facility development to meet rising market demand and decarbonization priorities.
The Burns & McDonnell Advantage
We provide end-to-end services for electrical power delivery, helping industrial clients plan and execute complex infrastructure upgrades with precision. Our team supports every phase of project development, applying technical acumen across facility assessments, system studies, detailed design, construction and commissioning. We deliver projects using your preferred approach — including design-bid-build, design-build and engineer-procure-construct (EPC) — and can manage complex capital initiatives through integrated program management. With experience serving industrial campuses, utilities, co-ops and municipalities, our team aligns power delivery strategies with your operational goals and budget priorities.
We help clients solve complex power infrastructure challenges with a full suite of technical services:
- Master plan studies. Our team analyzes aging electrical infrastructure to identify upgrades that improve safety, reliability and scalability. We work with you to prioritize implementation and develop a strategic execution plan aligned with future operational goals.
- Electrical system studies. Our team uses advanced modeling tools — including ETAP, SKM Systems Analysis' Power*Tools, and Advanced Systems for Power Engineering (ASPEN) — to perform detailed studies of system behavior. We conduct load flow, short circuit, arc-flash, motor starting and protection analyses to support informed equipment selection and risk mitigation.
- Relay programming and protection. We develop and validate relay logic to support critical protection schemes such as automatic transfer, differential protection and equipment fault isolation. Our team coordinates protection systems to maintain overall system stability and operational reliability.
- Electrical area classification. We identify hazardous locations and classify areas in accordance with applicable codes and standards. By identifying compliant equipment and providing detailed documentation, our team supports safe system operation and alignment with regulatory requirements.
- FEL/FEED to detailed design. We provide front-end loading (FEL) and front-end engineering design (FEED) services to define project scope, schedule and cost. Our team develops construction-ready design packages that align with technical requirements and stakeholder expectations.
- On-site engineering support. Our electrical engineers provide direct, on-site support to align daily execution with project specifications and operational philosophies. We support scope development, coordinate with field teams and help drive consistent project progress.
- EPC project delivery. We provide fully integrated design-build solutions under a single contract. By managing factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), cutover planning and system commissioning, our team streamlines project delivery and reduces risk.
