Deploying a Permanent Industrial Microgrid in Extreme Remote Environments
To support the global shift toward electrification in mining industry standards, ACS designed and implemented a high-capacity charging infrastructure tailored for the EV mining truck transition. The project utilized a strategic two-phase power delivery model, initially employing a temporary onsite setup before successfully integrating a permanent industrial microgrid connection to support 6 MW of total charging capacity. By managing the complex high-voltage distribution and environmental durability requirements, ACS provided a scalable, production-ready environment that significantly reduced time-to-operation for remote mining site demonstrations.
The Challenge
In a remote desert proving ground, a global equipment manufacturer needed to energize its industrial charging station for EV mining truck units quickly and reliably. This project represents a significant step forward for electrification in mining industry operations. The company wanted the ability to charge two EV mining truck units simultaneously, one to serve manual and one to serve autonomous vehicles, all within a compact footprint and stringent safety requirements. The manufacturer designed the site for customer demonstrations to validate the charging systems for their EV mining truck fleet. To get the satellite site operational fast, the company wanted a temporary power solution before charging stations could draw on power delivered from the company’s industrial microgrid located miles away.
Looking for a partner who understood heavy industrial requirements and could anticipate integration constraints with high-voltage equipment and electric vehicles, the manufacturer turned to ACS based on their long working history. Past projects include ACS’ design and build of the R&D lab for the battery packs used in these trucks and a jib crane that improved cable-handling ergonomics at the industrial charging station.
The Solution
ACS delivered a two-phase power strategy to speed up time-to-operation. To smooth the conversion from temporary to permanent power sources, ACS engineers led the manufacturer through a front end planning process that engineered a temporary genset solution and the eventual industrial microgrid connection together from the start.
For phase one, ACS engineers selected and used three diesel gensets as a temporary onsite industrial microgrid to energize the site. For phase two, the ACS team designed the site distribution system to accept a 13.8 kV feed from the mining site microgrid and route it to the satellite site’s distribution switchgear, which delivers power to the transformers. From there, the power flows to the AC to DC chargers and then the dispensers that connect to the EV mining truck.
Because of the uniform design of terminations and controls, the change from the temporary generators to the mining site’s microgrid power was straightforward. The team, under ACS supervision, completed the cutover in less than two weeks, with no changes needed to downstream equipment, including the charger.
Layout and Packaging for Large Vehicles and Maintainability
ACS optimized the compact site footprint by positioning high-voltage equipment, switchgear, and charger interfaces to allow for safe maintenance vehicle access. The design preserves clearances, segregates live equipment, and provides working clearances for maintenance, cable routing, and future upgrades. This layout balances safety, ergonomic charger access, and field maintainability. The dual-station configuration remains distinct and fully observable while supporting ongoing operations.
High-Voltage Component Sourcing and Environmental Durability
ACS specified and procured high-voltage components rated for continuous outdoor desert exposure, including conductors, cable tray, terminations, DC twist-lock connectors rated for 1500VDC, and distribution assemblies suitable for megawatt-class loads. The OEM supplied its own transformer systems and AC-to-DC chargers that ACS integrated mechanically and electrically into the site architecture. The result is a cohesive high-voltage distribution package resilient to heat, dust, and charging cycles typical of an industrial charging station in a mining environment.
The Outcome
An onsite ACS installation manager provided oversight of the power-delivery design, directing placement of owner-provided equipment, installation details, and tie-ins across phases to deliver a safe, serviceable, and functional charging site.
By engineering the temporary and permanent power paths together, ACS could execute a rapid cutover from onsite gensets to cable in the microgrid power with minimal rework. The culmination was a production-ready charging environment that sped up time-to-operation, reduced integration risk, and transitioned easily from temporary to permanent power solutions.
The site supports up to 6 MW of total charging capacity distributed across two stations—one manual and one autonomous. ACS’ cable-tray routing and termination strategy make the 6 MW allocation flexible, for example, delivering 2 MW and 4 MW to the separate stations simultaneously. The dynamic distribution aligns real-time power availability with demonstration needs while maintaining safety and maintainability.
ACS integrated industrial microgrid power distribution with the OEM’s proprietary charging technology, coordinating phased equipment deliveries to maintain momentum. Building on the EV battery testing project, the microgrid project continues the manufacturer’s work with ACS, highlighting ACS’ role as a full-service partner across the product lifecycle—from early R&D to production demonstrations of electrification in mining industry solutions.
Key Features
- Two-phase power strategy starting temporary gensets and rapid cutover to permanent microgrid power
- 6 MW total charging capacity with flexible allocation across two stations (manual and autonomous) for EV mining truck operational needs
- Site 13.8 kV switchgear (power vault area) as the primary acceptance and distribution node, feeding step-down transformers and chargers
- Outdoor-rated high-voltage components and protection coordination for harsh, high-dust, high-heat environments
ACS Services
- Front end engineering for phased power strategy
- Procured electrical equipment and supporting infrastructure
- High-voltage site distribution design, including switchgear, transformers, cabling systems, and protection architecture
- Designed site layout and packaging for heavy-vehicle operations, safety, serviceability, and future scalability
- Installation and commissioning across both genset and microgrid phases, including terminations and protection coordination
