Underground Utility Contractor Uses the Right Tools to Tackle High-profile Jobs

Stealth Construction offers the right mix of construction services and equipment to take on high-profile projects.

For the Loudoun County project, Stealth Construction brought in five Doosan crawler excavators, including a DX235LCR-5.
For the Loudoun County project, Stealth Construction brought in five Doosan crawler excavators, including a DX235LCR-5.

Three years ago, Dominion Virginia Power initiated a plan to add facilities to meet the rising demand for electricity in Loudoun County, Virginia, one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. Once the long process for obtaining approvals and right-of-way locations was complete, a fast-paced construction schedule began.

That’s when Dominion Virginia Power called on Stealth Construction. The trenching and excavating company, headquartered in Manassas, VA, has earned a reputation for providing a range of construction services and handling high-profile projects.

“We have identified our niche and have become very proficient at digging, excavating and trenching in all types of situations and jobsites,” says Kent Baxter, vice president at Stealth Construction. “Working in a metropolitan area like Washington, D.C., we understand the importance of minimizing traffic disruption. Our goal is to get in, do the work and get out.”

The Loudon County project required digging roughly 4,000 ft. of 8- to 10-ft.-deep trenches, as well as installing maholes.The Loudon County project required digging roughly 4,000 ft. of 8- to 10-ft.-deep trenches, as well as installing maholes.That’s exactly the type of service Dominion needed last summer in Loudoun County. Between 2008 and 2013, the electrical load in the Sterling Park area grew at an average annual rate of 3.9%. From 2013 to 2023, the average annual rate of growth is projected to be 9%. In that case,  the actual electrical load would increase from 216 to 510 mega-volt amperes.

To meet the demand, Dominion routed a new transmission line and built a new substation near the intersection of Pacific Boulevard and Moran Road. That location was the center of the targeted growth area, both for new residential properties and firms in the exploding high-tech corridor. In late spring 2016, Stealth Construction began installing manholes (concrete structures) and digging trenches.

“One thing that sets our company apart is our equipment inventory,” Baxter says. “We have every tool you need to handle any job in this business. Matching the right equipment to the job is a big factor in our success.”

Heavy Lifters

For the Loudoun County project and its tight time frame, Stealth Construction brought in five Doosan crawler excavators. Purchased from H&E Equipment Services in Warrenton, VA, the DX80, DX180LC-3, DX235LCR-5 and a pair of DX300LC-5s were used as their capabilities matched different parts of the job. 

“Digging through rock was a big challenge,” says Baxter. “We dug about 4,000 ft. of trenches that were 8- to 10-ft. deep. We also installed 10 manholes that were 9' x 17'  and 12 ft. deep. The DX300LC-5 machines, one equipped with a hydraulic breaker and the other with a bucket, did an excellent job of digging in the rough terrain.”

The DX300LC-5 excavators worked on another high-profile Dominion energy job during much of the same time period — installing duct banks and manholes to provide additional electrical power to expand a substation near Dulles International Airport.Part of this project ― about 700 ft. of the mile-long underground assignment ― required Stealth Construction to place manholes in a gully with swamp-like conditions. Again, the DX300LC-5s were up to the task.

“The company that we purchase our manholes from typically backs up to the hole and places them in the ground,” Baxter notes. “That option was not available in this situation; neither was unloading and placing the manholes with a crane.”

Stealth Construction used DX300LC-5 excavators like the one shown to tackle heavy lifting at the Dulles International Airport.Stealth Construction used DX300LC-5 excavators like the one shown to tackle heavy lifting at the Dulles International Airport.The two DX300LC-5 crawler excavators on site were the only two pieces of equipment that could access the jobsite. Both had performed well digging and using a hydraulic breaker to maneuver through rocky areas. The question was whether they could move and place the manholes.

“A few years earlier... we tried to lift some manholes with another brand of crawler excavator,” Baxter recalls. “These two units, which were actually larger than the DX300LC-5s, were unable to do it. As a result of that struggle, I wasn’t sure if the Doosan machines could handle the job.”

Each manhole is delivered in two sections to help lessen the weight on the trucks during transportation. With the Doosan excavators, the manholes were picked up and positioned in the swamp area and precisely placed. Not only did they get the job done, they proved an economical solution.

“Every time we hire a crane, the cost is $3,000 to $4,000," Baxter points out. "Based on what the excavators did on this job, I would expect we will have less need for a crane in the future. That’s a nice savings.”

Baxter, who has been involved in underground construction for three decades, says the DX300LC-5s have proven to be a significant time- and money-saving investment on some of his firm’s jobs. With more unexpected challenges likely ahead as Stealth Construction continues to take on high-profile assignments, he's confident that his equipment lineup is well positioned to handle the work.

“We always want the best machine on the job,” he says. “That’s what we are all about.”

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