Located in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, the Hoover Dam isn’t just a national landmark – it’s a fully functioning power station. Impeding Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam’s 17 generators create power for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona and California.
CHALLENGE
After years of exposure to the damp climate, the conduit used to house light fixture wiring throughout the penstocks, or channels that regulate the flow of water, was rotting away. In fact, nearly half of the existing installations had seriously degraded, some even to the point where they were now just open wires. Engineers knew they needed to replace the existing steel and PVC-coated conduit with something that could stand up to the ambient conditions.
SOLUTION
Champion Fiberglass® was suggested as a solution to the facility’s need for a corrosion-resistant conduit system to protect aluminum lighting fixtures. After a number of meetings, the facility upgrades team began utilizing Champion Duct® conduit and fittings. Beginning in 2002, the installation team at the Hoover Dam spent the next few years systematically replacing the worn and corroded conduit with new Champion Fiberglass conduit.
RESULTS
Multiple runs of Champion Duct conduit were installed within a two-mile area, giving the Hoover Dam engineers the corrosion resistant product they needed to ensure consistent performance, despite the moist conditions. The team has been pleased with the conduit’s ease of installation and performance. In fact, after 26 years, the Champion Fiberglass conduit is standing strong, still providing protection for Hoover Dam infrastructure.
