Event Spec Generators provide back-up power for Wimbledon
The project electrician for Wimbledon’s infamous grand slam contacted Powerhire’s Sales Manager for the provision of event spec generators for the 4th consecutive year running. We immediately allocated our usual team of engineers for the designated dates who are already very familiar with both the installation processes as well as the security and sensitivity of the site itself.
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, being held at the All England Club since 1877 and is widely considered the most prestigious. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is the only one still played on grass.
As well as still being played on grass courts, The Wimbledon Championships is steeped many other traditions including a strict dress code for competitors, the eating of strawberries and cream by the spectators as well has holding a Royal audience.
The event spec generator hire this year was required not only for the Championships at Wimbledon but also for the qualifying rounds starting in Roehampton in the last week in June. The qualifiers at Roehampton, for the first time ever, will have live coverage on Wimbledon.com via broadcast partners, the BBC and Eurosport in the UK, and ESPN in the US.
The main tournament at Wimbledon, which takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, has one of the largest audiences across the World with over 40 international networks in operation. 9 courts had live television coverage, more than any other Grand Slam, and more than 80 broadcast organisations were on site. With approximately 2500 broadcasters working in the broadcast centre and host broadcaster BBC using nearly 100 cameras around the grounds for the world to view, back-up power is vital and therefore event spec generator hire is a pre-requisite.
Powerhire were once again delighted to be supplying the generator power for the 2017 Championships. With the allocation of event spec generators for 2017 being slightly different than previous years our usual Powerhire contact specified the most suitable configuration and location to meet both of the site’s requirements.
Following the delivery and installation of a 100kVA, fuel tanks and rental cable to Roehampton on the 20th June the rest of the event spec generators were serviced and readied for the main Grand Slam at Wimbledon. All rental equipment was loaded and transported to site by our logistics and installation team on 28th June. With the use of the onsite tractor unit our engineers located the event spec generators and associated power package as previously agreed.
The main 1000kVA generator which provided the back-up power for the live broadcasting was connected to the site’s changeover panel utilising our rental cable. The remaining event spec generators together with fuel tanks, distribution, lighting towers and rental cable were located in various other locations, including the main car park, the golf course opposite, fields approximately 3 miles away and an athletics track. These were used to power all the security x-ray stations, lighting towers and communication extension areas.
Once positioned and connected up the entire rental package was successfully commissioned before leaving site.
