COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                Item No.       4g 
ACTION ITEM                   Date of Meeting    December 13, 2016 
DATE:    December 5, 2016 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:   Jeffrey Brown, Director, Aviation Facilities and Capital Programs 
Wayne Grotheer, Director, Aviation Project Management Group 
SUBJECT:  Emergency Generator Controls Project (CIP #C800784) 
Amount of this request:           $713,000 
Total estimated project cost:       $2,500,000 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to prepare design and
construction bid documents for the Emergency Generator Controls Upgrade project at Seattle-
Tacoma International Airport not to exceed $713,000 for a total estimated project cost of
$2,500,000. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
This project will provide for the renewal and replacement of the existing control system and
thereby extend the useful life of the generators that provide emergency electrical power to
Concourses B, C, D, the Central Terminal, and the North and South Satellites. Emergency power
is legally required for egress lighting within the terminal buildings and at other locations where
interruption of power could produce life safety hazards. While the diesel engine generators are
in good working condition, the manufacturer has discontinued support for the microprocessor
based control system and no longer provides technical support or replacement parts. 
Additionally, this project will install a load bank necessary for system compliance testing in a
way that will not disturb normal power distribution or interrupt airport operations.  Reliable
emergency power is essential for public safety and the Port's Century Agenda goal of meeting
the region's air transportation needs at Sea-Tac airport. 
JUSTIFICATION 
This project contributes to the Port's Century Agenda goal to meet the region's air
transportation needs at Sea-Tac Airport for the next 25 years. This project extends the useful
life of the existing emergency power system and minimizes operational costs and impacts of
code-required compliance testing. 

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 4g                       Page 2 of 6 
Meeting Date: December 13, 2016 
The project manager will work with the Office of Social Responsibility to determine small
business participation opportunities, in accordance with the terms of Resolution No. 3618. 
DETAILS 
The Port of Seattle currently utilizes two 750kW and two 1500 kW  diesel engine powered
emergency generators to supply National Electrical Code (NEC) required emergency power to
Concourses B, C, D, the Central Terminal, and the North and South Satellites. These emergency
generators are located at the Loading Dock level of the Sea-Tac Airport Main Terminal building
and are approximately 20 years old. 
The control and operation of these generators is through a set of six microprocessor based
programmable logic controllers that have been discontinued and are no longer supported by
the manufacturer. This project will provide for the renewal and replacement of the existing 
control system and thereby extend the useful life of the generator sets, valued at $10 million,
by an estimated 20 years.  The second component of this project includes the installation of a
load bank for NEC required monthly testing. The load bank is required because the generators
must be tested under electrical load. Port maintenance staff was formerly able to test and
exercise the emergency generators by utilizing airfield lighting load, but the airfield lights are no
longer connected to this system. 
The system will be designed and configured such that generator load testing does not disturb
normal power distribution or interrupt power to other airport loads.
This system is necessary to provide legally required emergency power. The Washington
Administrative Code (WAC) 296-46B-700 states all exit and emergency lights must be installed
in accordance with Article 700 of the NEC. Emergency systems may also provide power for such
functions where interruption would produce life safety hazards. 
The future Airport wide Alternate Utility Power Facility will not meet the requirements of NEC
Article for emergency power because doing so would be prohibitively expensive. Emergency
wiring and power distribution equipment must be kept entirely independent of all other wiring
and equipment. The Alternate Utility Power Facility project will utilize existing building power
wiring and distribution equipment.
Scope of Work 
This project will replace and program new controllers for the emergency generator control
system. A load bank will also be installed for testing the emergency generators. Emergency 
generators will also be serviced as part of this project. Two of the existing generators will be
restored to service to provide additional emergency power capacity. 
All efforts within the design and construction phases will be supported by the utilization of
small and diverse businesses within the scopes of work.

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 4g                       Page 3 of 6 
Meeting Date: December 13, 2016 
Schedule 
Activity 
Design start                          2017 Quarter 1 
Commission construction authorization       2017 Quarter 4 
Construction start                      2018 Quarter 2 
In-use date                          2019 Quarter 1 
Cost Breakdown                         This Request       Total Project 
Design                                   $713,000          $800,000 
Construction                                    $0         $1,700,000 
Total                                        $713,000          $2,500,000 
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1  Do not replace control system and utilize rental load bank for testing 
Cost Implications: 
Cost Estimate $330,000 
Total Cost of Ownership $974,000 
Annual Operating Costs $45,000 
Pros: 
(1)   Lowest cost 
(2)   System can be load tested to be in compliance with the NEC 
Cons: 
(1)   Risk of extended emergency power system failure 
(2)   No manufacturer support for troubleshooting 
(3)   Must utilize used parts with uncertain condition 
(4)   No increased system capacity to accommodate growth 
(5)   Load test requires approximately 400 annual staff hours 
(6)   Annual drive lane closure in access tunnel for an estimated 6 days 
(7)   Additional safety hazard with live high voltage cable in traffic control zone 
(8)   Annual versus monthly load tests 
This is not the recommended alternative. 



Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 4g                       Page 4 of 6 
Meeting Date: December 13, 2016 
Alternative 2  Replace control system and utilize rental load bank for testing 
Cost Implications: 
Cost Estimate $2,000,000 
Total Cost of Ownership $2,700,000 
Annual Operating Costs $45,000 
Pros: 
(1)   System can be load tested to be in compliance with the NEC 
(2)   New control system allows for continued reliable operation of emergency power
system 
(3)   Increased system capacity to accommodate growth 
Cons: 
(1)   Test requires approximately 400 annual staff hours 
(2)   Annual drive lane closure in access tunnel for an estimated 6 days 
(3)   Additional safety hazard with live high voltage cable in traffic control zone 
(4)   Annual versus monthly load tests 
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 3  Replace control system and install load bank for testing 
Cost Implications: 
Cost Estimate $2,500,000 
Total Cost of Ownership $2,600,000 
Annual Operating Cost $9,000 
Pros: 
(1)   System can be load tested and in compliance with the NEC 
(2)   New control system allows for continued reliable operation of emergency power
system 
(3)   Increased system capacity to accommodate growth 
(4)   No impact to operations for testing 
(5)   No significant increase in operational costs 
(6)   Improved safety with no exposed high voltage cable in traffic control zones 
(7)   Lowest Life Cycle cost which includes renewal of generator assets 
Cons: 
(1)  Highest first cost 
This is the recommended alternative. 

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 4g                       Page 5 of 6 
Meeting Date: December 13, 2016 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
Capital costs to build improvements for control system and for required testing, and expense
costs to service existing generators. 
Cost Estimate/Authorization Summary          Capital      Expense        Total 
COST ESTIMATE 
Original estimate                        $995,000          $0      $995,000 
Budget increase                      $1,505,000     $140,000    $1,645,000 
Revised Budget                     $2,500,000     $140,000    $2,640,000 
AUTHORIZATION 
Previous authorizations                    $87,000          $0      $87,000 
Current request for authorization             $713,000          $0     $713,000 
Total authorizations, including this request      $800,000          $0      $800,000 
Remaining amount to be authorized        $1,700,000     $140,000    $1,840,000 
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds 
The Emergency Generator Controls Upgrade project (CIP #C800784) was included in the 2016-
2020 capital budget and plan of finance as a business plan perspective project with a total
capital budget of $995,000. Additional capital budget of $1,505,000 was transferred from the
Aeronautical Allowance (CIP #C800753), resulting in no net change to the capital budget. The
capital budget adjustment was a result of new project scope necessary to accommodate NEC
required testing and control system improvements. This project will be funded by the Airport
Development Fund. 
Financial Analysis and Summary 
Project cost for analysis         $2,500,000 
Business Unit (BU)            Terminal Building 
Effect on business performance   NOI after depreciation will increase 
(NOI after depreciation) 
IRR/NPV (if relevant)           N/A 
CPE Impact                $0.01 in 2020 
Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership) 
The preferred alternative will not substantially increase operational costs. Total cost of
ownership is $2,600,000, reflecting the up-front capital costs and the net present value of
relatively minimal ongoing operating costs. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
None 

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 4g                       Page 6 of 6 
Meeting Date: December 13, 2016 

PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None 

















Template revised September 22, 2016.