When a critical piece of industrial infrastructure goes offline, every hour matters.
Sunrise Engineering’s Electrical, Instrumentation, and Controls, or EIC, team recently supported the Rio Tinto Kennecott C9 project, an important upgrade involving the final section of the approximately five-mile conveyor system that transports ore from the mine to the processing facility.
The work took place during a major planned shutdown. According to Mike Hare, EIC Service Center Manager, Rio Tinto Kennecott had planned the shutdown for years, with the mine scheduled to be offline for approximately three weeks while the work was completed. Because copper production depended on the conveyor returning to service, keeping the project moving was critical.
For Sunrise’s EIC team, that meant providing more than engineering drawings. It required technical expertise, adaptability, and quick decisions in the field.
Upgrading a Critical Motor Control System
Sunrise was tasked with replacing an existing 480-volt motor control system with a medium-voltage, variable frequency drive, or VFD, controlled system.
The existing system experienced significant maintenance issues associated with harsh motor starting. The upgrade provided a new approach for controlling the equipment while supporting the facility’s long-term production needs.
Sunrise’s EIC team provided an updated drawing set, instrument and control upgrades, low- and medium-voltage cable specifications, and construction support.
While the technology itself was not necessarily unusual, Senior Electrical Engineer Ron Costel said the team’s industrial experience proved especially valuable.
“The technical support and depth of knowledge regarding industrial systems was the key factor in making the project successful,” Ron said.
Filling the Gaps in the Field
One of the project’s greatest challenges was working through gaps in existing information.
Personnel changes at Rio Tinto Kennecott between project initiation and installation made some of the information the team needed difficult to obtain. That required extensive fieldwork, particularly once the shutdown began and additional issues were discovered.
Sunrise’s EIC team stepped in to help fill those gaps.
Team members worked directly with vendors and contractors, helped identify control system specifications and hardware that had not been anticipated, and provided timely notice when deficiencies were discovered. When hardware was needed, the team also coordinated with vendors to help obtain it within the project’s tight timeframe.
“Our depth of knowledge and ability to react quickly to problems that arose during the production outage were key to the successful completion,” Ron said.
That responsiveness helped Rio Tinto Kennecott address problems while installation was underway rather than allowing them to create larger delays.
Many Small Solutions Add Up to Success
There was no single engineering breakthrough that defined the C9 project. Instead, Ron credits the project’s success to the EIC team’s ability to solve one problem after another.
“There was not one particular solution that made the difference,” Ron said. “It was many, many small accomplishments that provided success.”
The entire Sunrise EIC team contributed to the project, with involvement extending from initial concept through construction. Their ability to work directly with contractors and vendors helped streamline installation and provided additional technical resources when unexpected challenges arose.
The project also demonstrated the value Sunrise can provide as an ongoing engineering partner. Following the C9 work, Ron said the team has seen increased interest from Rio Tinto Kennecott in Sunrise’s support on other projects.
A Resource for the Entire Sunrise Team
The C9 project demonstrates an important strength of Sunrise’s EIC group. The team does not simply design electrical and control systems. Its members bring practical industrial experience that allows them to troubleshoot problems, coordinate with multiple parties, and respond when conditions change in the field.
Ron hopes employees throughout Sunrise will remember that expertise is available to support projects across the company.
“Should any other division of the Sunrise team be faced with an electrical issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to any one of our group,” Ron said. “We have the resources to help.”
Whether supporting a planned industrial shutdown or helping another Sunrise team solve an unexpected electrical challenge, the EIC team’s work on the C9 project shows what can happen when technical knowledge is paired with responsiveness, collaboration, and a willingness to step in when it matters most.