December 17, 2007

Casino Doubles Their Bet on Power Quality

The Tohono O’Odham Gaming Authority operates three Desert Diamond casinos in the Tucson, AZ area. Their newest casino was experiencing frequent power disturbances that affected gaming operations as well as security. In 2005, a 1250 kVA/1000 kW PureWave UPS™ System was procured and installed, to provide backup power during voltage sags or power interruptions, and seamless transfer of the load to the standby generator during extended power outages. The UPS was installed outdoors at the service entrance location, providing protection for the entire building load. Not only did the PureWave UPS System protect gaming operations, the security system, and the data center, but it also protected lighting and air conditioning . . . loads not typically covered by conventional UPS systems.

Based on their successful experience with PureWave, facilities management decided to install a second 1250 kVA PureWave UPS at their original Desert Diamond Casino located nearby. That casino recently expanded, adding several permanent buildings including a nightclub and restaurant. The new casino is almost three times larger than the old casino that was housed under a tent structure since 1993. The grand opening for the expanded casino is scheduled for January 2008, and plans to add a hotel to this sprawling complex are underway.

The newest Purewave UPS system was commissioned in September 2007 and is now providing backup power for gaming operations as construction and build-out at the new casino continues. Anticipating future load growth, Desert Diamond plans to add a third PureWave UPS dedicated to the support of security systems within the year.