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Around the Circuit
Spending Index for
January Indicates
36% Growth in 2008
Planned industrial project spending in North America
grew 36.9% in January in a year-over-year comparison with January 2007,
according to Industrial Info Resources, Sugar Land, Texas. Currently,
there is $327 billion worth of industrial projects scheduled to begin
construction in 2008. Most of the growth is occurring in the energy
sector, including power, petroleum refining, alternative fuels, and oil
and gas production, as well as in the metals and minerals market and
pharmaceutical industry.To read more on this topic, visit
EC&M's Web site.
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House Approves
Bill
to Extend Tax Credits
The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved a
bill that extends tax credits for renewable energy set to expire at the
end of 2008. The bill, which passed 236-182, would give $8 billion in
tax breaks through 2011 to companies that produce new electricity from
natural sources, such as wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. A
30% credit for investments in solar products and fuel cell technology
would be effective through 2016.To read more on this topic, visit
EC&M's Web
site.
IEC Informs Members
About
Business Incentives
President George W. Bush recently signed the Economic
Stimulus Act of 2008 into law. In addition to the rebate checks that an
estimated 130 million qualified lower- and middle-class tax filers will
receive, the act offers an additional bonus for small business owners:
$44.8 billion in business incentives. Alexandria, Va.-based Independent
Electrical Contractors (IEC) encourages all of its members to read
about
the new incentives and consult a tax professional for more
information.To read more on this topic, visit EC&M's Web
site.
Las Vegas
Prepares for Fourth Wave
of Growth
Las Vegas is preparing for its fourth wave of growth,
starting with the opening of the Palazzo on the Strip, according to a
recent report by Las Vegas Advisor. The first three waves came
in
1989, 1993, and 1999. Industry experts are predicting the fourth wave
to
be more extensive than all three previous growth spurts combined.
Mixed-use mega-projects from MGM Grand and Boyd Gaming, including
Cosmopolitan, Encore, and Fontainebleau, are expected to add 50,000 new
rooms over the next five years.To read more on this topic, visit
EC&M's Web
site.
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ILSCO Product Line Expansion
ILSCO has expanded its ACO line to include ACO-1000 with a wire range
of
1000kcmil — 750kcmil. The ACO-1000 wire range includes 900kcmil
compacted aluminum conductor and is manufactured from high-strength
aluminum alloy. The off-center pin allows connectors to be rotated for
parallel applications. The ACO line of aluminum offset pigtail adaptors
is UL listed and CSA certified with a wire range 1000kcmil — 2/0.
www.ilsco.com
Project Watch
PV Inspectors
Requested in California
The City of Palo Alto, Calif., is seeking proposals
from
qualified firms to provide services to inspect a sample of Photovoltaic
(PV) Partners program PV system installations for performance
verification. Inspections will be done on an as-needed basis for both
residential and commercial PV installations. Firms must have technical
experience and a clear understanding of PV systems, especially as
currently applied in California. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. PST on
March 25. More information is available for download from the city's
Web
site.
Engineering and
Design
Services Wanted
in Michigan
The Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), Trenton,
Mich., in cooperation with Wayne County and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service, is requesting engineering and design assistance to establish a
fishing access facility at the Refuge Gateway of the Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge. The scope of work will include
describing
all the design and engineering services that will be provided to
produce
the necessary documents and specifications for the design, bidding, and
construction of the Refuge Gateway Fishing Access Facility, including
electrical services. A detailed RFP is available for download on the
MAC
Web
site. Proposals will be accepted until 2 p.m. EST on May 7.
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Web Exclusives
Business Brief
Norwalk, Conn.-based EMCOR Group was recently named
America's Most Admired Company in the Engineering and Construction
Industry by FORTUNE magazine. EMCOR received the highest
rankings possible in the areas of innovation, people management, and
social responsibility, as well as extremely high marks for use of
corporate assets, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term
investment, and quality of products/services. The complete list is
available at FORTUNE's Web
site. For more
Business Briefs, visit the EC&M Web site.
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 Great Prices on Cord Grips
Starting from only $1.33, elecDirect Cord Grip Connectors are always in
stock. Available with or without mesh grips in NPT, PG, or metric
threading. Choose from aluminum, steel, or stainless steel materials.
All connectors are UL listed and CSA.
elecDirect stocks more than 13,000 electrical products and tools. Use
Coupon Code EZONE308 at checkout to receive 10% off your next order. www.elecDirect.com
www.elecDirect.com - or call toll free 800-701-0975.
Eye on Safety
NECA Comments
on OSHA Standards for Construction Work in Confined Spaces
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA)
recently proposed a new confined spaces standard specifically for
construction work. The proposed rule has the potential to help reduce
fatalities and injuries among construction workers performing work in
"confined spaces," which range from manholes and tunnels to crawl
spaces under buildings and crowded electrical equipment closets. These
locations present particular safety problems caused by lack of
mobility,
reduced communications with other workers, and the difficulty of
exiting
quickly in an emergency. Additional hazards exist for the rescue teams
in place in case of emergency.According to the National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA), Bethesda, Md., OSHA's strengthened
requirements for confined spaces are necessary. However, the
association
has voiced concerns about particular aspects of the proposed rule.
Michael Johnston, NECA's executive director of standards and safety,
submitted comments to OSHA that clearly define NECA's concerns and, in
some cases, offer suggestions and alternatives to OSHA's plan.
"Regulations, codes, and standards are effective when they are
understandable, practical, and enforceable," Johnston wrote in his
comments. "NECA has concerns about the complexity and additional
burden of the new proposed regulations. Additional costs associated
with
their implementation may cause some in the industry to ignore the rules
in some cases, placing workers at greater risk."
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Shows & Events
Visit the EC&M
e-Tradeshow
Look for these free live conferences, scheduled for this month:
Wednesday, March 19, Noon Eastern, 9 a.m. PST: "Poor Working
Drawings: The Construction Industry's Prevailing Problem,"
presented
by John DeDad
EC&M's senior director of editorial will tap into his 40 years of
construction experience and detail his interviews with owners,
architects, professional engineers, and contractors about the poor
working drawing problem. He'll also cite specific examples of the
shifting of responsibilities and will propose recommendations to help
ease the severity of the problem.
Monday, March 24, 10 a.m. EST and PST: "Harmonic
Solutions:
Side-by-Side Comparisons," presented by Dan Carnovale, P.E., Eaton
Corp.
Learn about side-by-side comparisons of various harmonic mitigation
technologies, based on testing conducted in a test lab specially
constructed to evaluate all of the major categories of harmonic
solutions for industrial and commercial power systems. See the results
of this testing, including considerations for generator applications,
harmonic resonance, and the application of phase shifting. Energy
savings observations will also be discussed. Video recordings of the
testing will be included.
Coming soon:
"Understanding Electrical Safety and PPE Selection"
"Implementing an Arc Flash Safety Compliance Program"
"Preparing an Arc Flash Hazard Study"
Visit the many exhibitors in this virtual tradeshow and take a look
at the On-Demand Theater, where you can view past online conferences
24/7/365.
Go to the EC&M Web site to
visit
the e-Tradeshow and the On-Demand Library.
The
3
As of Arc Flash Live Webinar
On March 19 at 2 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. PT, Gary Fox,
P.E.,
from GE Consumer and Industrial, will review modern equipment
techniques
that can be used to mitigate the risk of arc flash. The presentation
will review recent customer research findings on the subject of arc
flash awareness, techniques for reducing the risk in existing
installations, and designing for new installations. For more
information
and to register, visit the Webinar's Web
site.
Upper Midwest
Electrical Expo
The North Central Electric League (NCEL) will present
the Upper Midwest Electrical Expo from April 9-10 in Minneapolis. The
2008 Expo event schedule covers topics such as NEC fundamentals,
grounding, changes to the 2008 NEC, industrial control panels and
machinery, and selective coordination. For more information and to
register, visit the NCEL Web
site.
BICSI Spring
Conference
The 2008 BICSI Spring Conference will be held from
April
27-30 in Nashville, Tenn. This year's event includes a cabling skills
challenge, pre-conference seminars on topics such as grounding systems
and power quality, and committee meetings for standards, installation,
and technical information. For more information and to register, visit
the BICSI Web
site.
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