Appeal 33593

OESC 230.2(C)

OESC 230.2(C) allows for additional services to be provided to a building under 3 conditions. The 2 conditions this appeal is concerned about are as follows:
(1) Where the capacity requirements are in excess of 2000 amperes at a supply voltage of 1000 volts or less
(3) By special permission

The intent of this appeal is to seek "special permission" per OESC 230.2(C)(3) to allow this project to construct this building with three electric services: one 480/277V service and two 208Y/120V services.

Proposed alternate (Exhibit B) Two utility pad mount service transformers will be provided. (1) 480Y/277V 3-phase transformer, and (1) 208Y/208V 3-phase transformer. The 480V transformer will feed a single 800A 480V service dedicated for the building's house loads. The 208V transformer will be tapped at the output and provide two separate 800A 208Y/120V services, both dedicated to feeding the dwelling units.

Exhibit A (attachment) shows the original design intent of the building as submitted for permit Revision 01 dated 4/08/24. This design complied with OESC 230.2(A) where a single service is provided to the building. The main switchboard and service disconnects were located in the main electrical room at the NW corner of the building. Due to the horse shoe shape of the building, all electrical distribution equipment could not be housed in the main electrical room while complying with OEESC 8.4.1 5% voltage drop requirement. A secondary electrical room was designed in the SE corner of the building to reduce voltage drop from the multi-family switchboard to the load centers in the dwelling units in the southern half of the building. This design was reviewed with Pacific Power during early design. The design team was informed that the meter layout was acceptable at that time by PPL. During the permitting process Pacific Power's meter department reviewed the layout and required the design team to locate all electrical meter gear either on the exterior of the building on the west side, or in electrical rooms on the west side of the building.
The design team met with the city design reviewer Staci Monroe and discussed options. The CoP included requirements in the original design review for all electric service gear (except the transformer) to be installed on the interior of the building. A compromise was made, allowing some smaller service gear (480V 800A CT enclosure & meter base, fire pump meter base, and PV disconnect) to be installed on the exterior. Large switchboards and metering switchboards would be required to be installed interior to the building.
Exhibit B (attachment) shows the new design. The SE electrical room was relocated to the NW corner of the SW wing of the building. This relocation reduced one dwelling unit by one bedroom. This project is an affordable housing project that has a specific bed quantity that it must deliver on to meet the Metro Bond funding requirements. The main electrical room had to significantly shrink in size to allow for the adjacent dwelling unit in the NW wing to add a bedroom to make up for the bedroom reduction in the SW wing.
To be able to fit the required electric service gear in the electrical rooms, comply with the city design review requirements, and pacific power requirements, the design team split the service into 3 separate services. The basis of this design was that this design met OESC 230.2(C)(1): "Where the capacity requirements are in excess of 2000 amperes at a supply voltage of 1000 volts or less." The total building load is 2435A at 208/120V. The code says "additional services" shall be permitted, but does not limit it to a single additional service based on the load. The CoP electrical plan reviewer has taken exception stating that the intent of the code would only allow for a single additional service for this building. We are now requesting approval under OESC 230.2(C)(3) "by special permission". Or for an exception to be made based on the description above.