Pacific Power's Role: The Dry Dock Project and More
One of the most significant and rewarding projects I’ve been involved in during my time at Pacific Power Electrical Contracting is the Dry Dock Project, which we've been actively engaged in since 2022, when it first went out to bid. From that moment, I was deep in the details—analyzing plans, developing the estimate, and helping position our team to tackle one of the most complex infrastructure jobs in the region.
What is the Dry Dock Project?
This project is part of a massive effort to expand and modernize Hawaii’s maritime capabilities. The new dry dock facility—being constructed at Pearl Harbor—is designed to accommodate the Navy’s largest vessels, ensuring that crucial maintenance, overhaul, and repair work can happen right here on the island. It’s a strategically vital development, not just for military readiness but also for the island’s long-term economic infrastructure.
The scope is enormous. The dry dock itself is a huge structure, but the systems supporting it are equally impressive—and that’s where we come in. Pacific Power is responsible for all the underground electrical distribution, telecom, and secondary systems that will power and connect the facility. That means everything from miles of underground conduit and cabling, to complex coordination of high-voltage systems and network infrastructure. It’s a critical component of the project—one that must be rock-solid from day one.
Collaborating With Industry Partners
A project of this scale isn’t tackled alone. We’re proud to be working alongside PAC Electric and American Electric, two respected electrical contracting firms who are handling the electrical scope for the physical dry dock structure itself as well as the adjacent buildings. While they focus on the topside construction—installing systems in the buildings and the dock’s internal infrastructure—Pacific Power is responsible for building the backbone: the underground systems that feed and connect it all.
This level of coordination between contractors is rare and requires a ton of communication, planning, and trust. We’re all bringing our specialized expertise to the table to deliver a world-class facility. It’s a genuine team effort, and I’ve appreciated the level of professionalism and collaboration across all parties.
My Role and the Estimating Challenge
Since 2022, I’ve been involved in this project from the very first concept drawings and bid documents. Estimating a job of this size is no small task—it required a deep dive into design specs, a granular understanding of underground infrastructure, and careful coordination with the project’s civil, structural, and architectural teams. I had to factor in not only materials and labor, but also long lead times, site logistics, permitting schedules, and risk contingencies.
Once awarded, the work didn’t stop. As Chief Estimator, I’ve continued to play a key role in value engineering, procurement planning, and scope coordination between our crews and the other contractors. In large projects like this, the estimate is just the beginning—the follow-through is what keeps things moving and on budget.
Why This Project Matters
The Dry Dock Project is more than just another job on the books—it’s a legacy project. It’s something I’ll be proud to look back on years from now, knowing I played a part in bringing it to life. It represents everything I love about this profession: high-stakes coordination, technical complexity, smart problem-solving, and working with a team that genuinely wants to do things right.
It’s also a great example of Pacific Power’s strengths. Our ability to handle the underground electrical scope, integrate with complex telecom systems, and coordinate with top-tier partners like PAC Electric and American Electric shows that we’re not just a capable contractor—we’re a trusted force on the island.