The next major step in bringing the new Boardsort facility online is electrifying the operation — literally. In the photos above, trenches are being dug and underground electrical conduit is being laid, marking the path for the incoming 480-volt service that will power the building. By running the conduit below ground, the installation stays clean and unobstructed, ensuring that trucks, loaders, and tall equipment can move freely without the risk of overhead lines being clipped or damaged. Once buried, these conduits will protect the high-voltage cables from weather, impact, and corrosion for decades to come.
The system is designed to deliver three-phase 480-volt power, the industrial standard for facilities that operate heavy machinery, compressors, and sorting equipment. This configuration provides smoother motor operation and higher efficiency compared to single-phase service — a must for the power demands of a full-scale electronics recycling center.
Power will enter from the pole through a set of special high-capacity transformers (pictured above), which step down the utility’s transmission voltage to the 480-volt service needed by the building. These modern “non-PCB” transformers are environmentally safer and capable of sustaining high current loads during peak operation hours. From there, the power will travel through the underground conduit to the main distribution panels inside the warehouse, where it will branch out to feed everything from balers and shredders to lighting and HVAC.
Once energized, this system will bring true industrial-grade electrical power to Boardsort’s new headquarters — a critical backbone for the next generation of high-efficiency processing, testing, and recycling operations.