Directional Boring for Solar Energy Projects in Oklahoma. Underground Conduit Installation.

Directional Boring for Solar Energy Projects in Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s solar energy sector is growing rapidly. Utility-scale solar farms, community solar installations, commercial rooftop solar with underground interconnect, and distributed solar generation are all creating significant demand for underground conduit boring services. Solar energy projects require underground conduit for DC collection circuits between arrays and inverters, AC interconnect conduit from inverters to the point of interconnection, communications conduit for SCADA and monitoring systems, and equipment power for site lighting and security. Directional boring installs these conduit systems beneath roads, drainage features, and natural obstacles that would otherwise require costly open-cut crossings.

Trinity Boring Solutions provides directional boring for solar energy developers, EPC contractors, and electrical contractors working on solar projects across Oklahoma. We bore conduit crossings under public roads for utility-scale solar farms, install interconnect conduit beneath state highways for solar project transmission connections, and perform all the boring work that solar projects require to connect their underground infrastructure.

Oklahoma has excellent solar resources, with high solar irradiance particularly in the western half of the state. Utility-scale solar development has accelerated in Oklahoma, with projects in counties including Caddo, Comanche, Grady, Jackson, Kiowa, Roger Mills, Washita, and others. Rural county roads and state highways that cross solar farm sites require boring permits and professional HDD installation to install the collection conduit that aggregates solar power from distributed arrays to central inverter stations.

ODOT encroachment permits are required for conduit crossings under state highways. County road crossings require permits from county road departments. Trinity Boring Solutions handles the permit application process for solar project road crossings, working with the project engineer and the utility company to obtain all required permits for the project schedule.

Solar project boring work is often performed in agricultural settings with expansive rural Oklahoma landscapes. Access to bore sites across solar farms may require coordinating with landowners and agricultural operations. Our crews are experienced working in agricultural and rural environments and understand the considerations for minimizing land disturbance during boring operations on working farm properties.

Solar Project Boring Services

Solar Boring Process

1. Project Plan Review: We review solar project electrical one-lines, civil plans, and road crossing schedules to identify all bore locations and conduit requirements. Working with the EPC and electrical contractor, we develop a bore sequence that aligns with the project construction schedule.
2. Road Crossing Permits: For each public road crossing, we prepare and submit encroachment permit applications to ODOT or the applicable county road authority. Permit processing times vary, and we initiate permit applications as early as possible in the project schedule.
3. OK 811 Locates: We contact OK 811 for utility locates at all bore locations. Rural road crossings on solar project sites often have fewer underground utilities than urban locations, but agricultural irrigation lines, existing electric service, and telecommunications lines may be present and must be located before boring.
4. Bore Execution: Road crossing bores are performed with appropriate rig size for the conduit bundle diameter and crossing length. Solar collection conduit bores range from simple single-conduit crossings to large multi-conduit bundles that require larger bore diameters and significant pullback force.
5. Conduit Bundle Installation: Conduit bundles are pre-assembled with appropriate spacers and end caps and pulled through the bore in a single pass where possible. This approach minimizes the number of bores required at each road crossing location.
6. Documentation: As-built bore locations and depths are documented for the project engineer and for ODOT or county road authority as-built requirements on road crossing permits.

Why Choose Trinity Boring Solutions for Solar Projects

Solar EPC contractors and developers choose Trinity Boring Solutions for Oklahoma solar project boring because of our experience with road crossing permit coordination, our equipment capacity for large conduit bundle bores, and our ability to work efficiently in rural agricultural environments where solar projects are typically located.

We understand solar project schedules and the milestone-driven nature of EPC solar construction. Road crossing bores are often on the critical path for solar farm energization, and we work with the project team to execute bores on the schedule that the project requires.

Learn more at our commercial boring services page and our industrial boring page. For trenchless technology standards, see NASTT. For OSHA safety requirements, see OSHA excavation standards.

Oklahoma Solar Project Coverage

We serve solar energy projects across all 77 Oklahoma counties. Active solar development areas in western, central, and southwestern Oklahoma are all within our service footprint. We have performed boring for solar projects in Caddo, Grady, Canadian, Comanche, Jackson, and other counties with active solar development, and we are positioned to serve solar projects statewide.

Frequently Asked Questions