Council action to award a contract to Nexus Controls, in the amount of $451,694.00, for Generating Unit HMIs and Network Upgrade for the Power & Light Department.

IPL staff recommends issuing a purchase order for the Generating Unit HMI and Network Upgrade project.

Power generating combustion turbines are located at Substation H, Substation I, and Substation J. To allow operation of the generating units control systems are located remotely and at the generating units. Operators access the generating systems/equipment with the use of control software through human machine interfaces (HMI).

The current operating system for the operator interface locations is Windows 7. Windows 7 is no longer being supported by Microsoft. The panel embedded control systems are to be upgraded to Windows 10 IOT Enterprise 64 bit and the other control stations are to be upgraded to Windows 10 IOT Enterprise LTSC 2019. The currently in use software, necessary to operate the generating units, is not compatible with Windows 10. New site software including new HMI will be installed on the Windows 10 operator interface locations.

Nexus Controls, a Baker Hughes company, is the designated control system upgrade vendor for the General Electric units. Portions of the agreement authorizing Nexus Controls as the GE control system upgrade agent is provided in supporting documents.

The fiscal impact to the City is $451,694.00. Funding for the Generating Unit HMIs and Network Upgrade project is included in the 22/23 fiscal year proposed budget, page number 205, account number 70202304 5406 1714.