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Powering History: MEMS Keeps the Tower of London Running

Client

Powering History: MEMS Keeps the Tower of London Running


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Ensuring uninterrupted operations and business continuity for over 12 weeks

Critical temporary power was required at the Tower of London on the north bank of the River Thames due to a faulty switchboard causing internal arcing. The Tower of London has been used for centuries as a royal residence, a prison, a treasury, and an armoury. It is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions, attracting over 2 million visitors yearly and home to the Crown Jewels. A loss of electrical power at the Tower of London would have a significant impact on the security, safety, and operation of the Tower.

Project Summary

The Tower of London faced a critical power outage due to a phase arcing on the site’s switchboard. It was imperative to restore power quickly to ensure uninterrupted operations. However, due to the nature of the replacement parts and the difficulty of the installation, MEMS services were required on-site for over 12 weeks. This presented a significant challenge as the site required continuous power to support its staff and customers. Within 3 hours of the customer’s instruction to proceed, MEMS were on site with a complete turnkey solution, including a 300kVA generator, a 3,000-litre bulk tank, 50m of cable, a 100kW load bank, and an engineering team consisting of mechanical engineers and an electrical technician. Once installed and commissioned, the generator remained in situ to power the site, ensuring business as usual for the site’s staff and customers 24/7 until it was no longer required.

The Results

MEMS powers the tower of London with a reliable and continuous power supply.

The emergency power supplied by MEMS ran 24/7 with no power interruption, allowing the Tower of London to remain open and operate normally. MEMS reliability enabled the customer to continue to run for more than 12 weeks without a single reactive failure. MEMS handled the entire project, including round-the-clock remote monitoring, refuelling, and support. MEMS demonstrated its ability to respond to a critical power outage swiftly and provide a comprehensive temporary power solution. By delivering uninterrupted power for over 12 weeks, MEMS enabled the Tower of London to operate normally, ensuring business continuity. The successful implementation of this project showcased MEMS reliability, technical expertise, and commitment to customer satisfaction.