Exelon Power
Exelon Power (Blackrock and Norristown Fish Passages)
Year Completed: 2009
Dollar Amount: $8,000,000
Commerce Construction served as the general contractor for the construction of two fish passage facilities for Exelon Power at dams along the Schuylkill River, West of Philadelphia. The passage facilities were installed to enable the seasonal migration of native fish, around dam structures that were built in the early 1900’s. These dams were owned and maintained by Exelon to hold back cooling water for their power stations. This 2.5 year, $8 million project consisted of installing temporary sheet pile cofferdams, ongoing dewatering, and excavation deep into bedrock and below the river bottom. Complex reinforced concrete forming & placement as well as mechanical & electrical system installation occurred while the cofferdams and pump system maintained dry conditions. This work was in direct contact with the existing & historic dam structures and occurred within county parklands and sensitive wetlands. Ever present public and government attention on these two sites made for projects that were both technically challenging, yet rewarding for their contribution to the community and the river’s fish habitat.
