TAMPA, Fla. (December 11, 2023) – A Tampa utility company has awarded the South Tampa Resiliency Project, a 36-megawatt natural gas peaking power plant, to Sundt Construction. Sundt began construction of the plant on MacDill Air Force Base this month.
The project is essential to ensuring power for the Air Force base in the event of an emergency. With its coastal location, MacDill faces threats from severe weather, and assured power is essential for MacDill if there is a commercial grid failure.
“As this area continues to grow and power demands increase, we are looking forward to helping MacDill supplement their power supply with this new plant,” said Pat Bulman, vice president and regional manager with Sundt’s Industrial Group. “Our Southeast teams have extensive experience in power, water and many other industrial sectors that require advanced skillsets.”
“This is a great project for Sundt as we return to MacDill Air Force Base where we retrofitted the barracks in 2005 and is the first project we will execute in Florida from our Tampa office,” said David Rieken, vice president and regional manager with Sundt’s Industrial Group. “The self-perform and management resources Sundt is bringing to Tampa to execute this project will be leveraged on future work in Florida.”
The project includes two reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) and generators designed to operate on natural gas. The installation of the infrastructure will accommodate the expansion to four total engines and 75 megawatts in the future. Along with the supply of all bulk materials, Sundt will be utilizing its own skilled workforce for multiple project scopes, including underground utilities, foundations, structural steel, mechanical equipment, and above ground piping and electrical/control systems.
Sundt’s history in the region dates back more than 50 years. Some of the firm’s notable landmarks include LaunchPad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, where NASA first launched U.S. astronauts into space, and the concrete core of One Atlantic Center in Atlanta, Georgia, built using an innovative “slipform” technique pioneered by Sundt and later used all over the country. The South Tampa Resiliency Project marks Sundt Construction’s second project at MacDill Air Force Base. The contractor completed family housing for the base in 2005.
About Sundt
Sundt Construction, Inc. (www.sundt.com) is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors. The 133-year-old firm specializes in transportation, industrial, building, concrete and renewable power work and is owned entirely by its approximately 2,000-plus employees. Sundt is distinguished by its diverse capabilities and experience, unique employee-ownership culture and depth of self-perform expertise in nine major trades. Much of Sundt’s workforce is comprised of skilled craft professionals who, together with the company’s administrative employees, enable Sundt to fulfill its mission to be the most skilled builder in America. Sundt has 13 offices throughout California, Arizona, North Carolina, Texas, Utah and Florida and is currently ranked the country’s 62nd largest construction company by ENR, the industry’s principal trade magazine.
Media Contact:
Stefanie Teller
Sundt Construction, Inc.
520.750.4611 (office)
media@sundt.com