New Haven, Connecticut (203) 467-7000 info@adeleoinc.com
Union Affiliated Think Smart, Think Safety

Underground Electrical & Civil Infrastructure for the Energy Sector

Self-performing underground electrical and civil construction for investor-owned utilities and energy facility operators across CT, NY, NJ, MA, and RI since 1994.

Why IOUs Choose DeLeo

One Contractor. Civil and Underground Electrical. Self-Performed.

DeLeo self-performs civil and underground electrical utility scopes under one coordinated operation — no subcontracting of primary scope, one schedule, one point of contact. LIUNA-affiliated workforce trained in confined-space entry, lockout/tagout, and energized-adjacent work protocols. Field supervision coordinates directly with utility construction managers on sequencing, outage windows, and protection plans. 5-year framework contract holder with United Illuminating (Avangrid) 2024–2029. Underground electric programs executed for Eversource Energy across CT, MA, and RI.

Discuss Your Scope
DeLeo underground utility crew at work
Core Capabilities

Technical Scope — What Gets Built and Where

DeLeo self-performs all of the following scopes with its own crews.

Underground Electrical Infrastructure

DeLeo installs concrete-encased ductbank from the design footprint through final encasement — excavating the trench corridor, placing and spacing conduit per utility specifications, installing spacers and tie-wire, pouring concrete encasement in lifts, and backfilling to grade. Work is performed within active utility corridors, often with energized cable systems in adjacent conduit. Conduit routing, bend radii, and pull-point spacing are executed to utility standards.

  • Concrete-encased ductbank installation (single and multi-run)
  • Conduit placement, spacing, and routing per utility spec
  • Cable pathway construction for distribution circuits
  • Work in active utility corridors and energized-adjacent environments
  • Pavement and surface restoration upon completion
Contract Clients: United Illuminating (Avangrid)  |  Eversource Energy — CT, MA, RI

Utility Structures — Vaults, Manholes & Access Chambers

DeLeo installs precast and cast-in-place vault and manhole structures to utility specifications — excavating the structure footprint, preparing the subgrade, setting precast elements or forming and pouring in-place concrete, and integrating conduit entries, sump systems, and frame/cover assemblies. Structure placement is coordinated with ductbank geometry, grade constraints, and pull-point spacing requirements.

  • Precast vault and manhole installation to utility spec
  • Cast-in-place concrete structures for site-specific conditions
  • Conduit entry, sump, and frame/cover integration
  • Pull-point spacing and access clearance coordination
  • Subsurface dewatering and shoring as required
Used in: Underground distribution networks, grid reliability programs, substation tie-in sequences

Substation & System Integration

DeLeo performs the trenching, ductbank tie-ins, and conduit entry work at substation boundaries under the access controls and protection requirements established by the utility's protection engineers. Crew entry into the yard requires an approved protection plan. Lockout/tagout procedures, phased switching plans, and outage window coordination with utility dispatch are applied on every substation civil project.

  • Conduit entry and ductbank tie-ins at substation perimeters
  • Trenching within active station yards under utility protection protocols
  • Coordination with utility protection engineers on sequencing and outage windows
  • Work adjacent to energized equipment under minimum-approach-distance protocols
  • Phased execution to maintain station uptime during construction
Environment: Active electrical substations, energized transmission and distribution yards, restricted-access utility sites

Heavy Civil for Energy Infrastructure

DeLeo performs full civil scope at energy facility sites — site preparation, earthwork, structural concrete for equipment pads and transformer foundations, underground utility installation, access road and yard paving, storm drainage, oil-water separators, secondary containment, and vapor recovery infrastructure. Work is scoped to engineering documents, executed to equipment foundation tolerances, and coordinated with facility operations where sites remain partially active during construction.

  • Site preparation and grading for substations and energy facilities
  • Structural concrete — equipment pads, transformer foundations, retaining walls
  • Underground utility installation within facility boundaries
  • Access road and yard paving construction
  • Storm drainage, oil-water separators, and facility drainage systems
  • Vapor recovery infrastructure and secondary containment civil scope
Facility types: Substations, fuel terminals, processing facilities, industrial energy sites · Market: CT, NY, NJ, MA, RI

Storm, Sewer & Utility Infrastructure

Trench excavation, pipe installation in all soil conditions, structure placement, manhole and catch basin setting, tie-in to existing systems, and surface restoration. This scope runs integrated with broader civil and underground electrical utility projects — not as standalone municipal programs.

  • Storm drainage system installation and tie-in
  • Sewer infrastructure construction and integration
  • Trenching, pipe installation, and structure placement
  • Catch basin and manhole setting and adjustment
  • Integration with site civil and underground utility systems
Context: Site development, utility project civil scope, energy facility drainage systems

Emergency Response — Underground Utility

DeLeo maintains 24/7 on-call crews for contracted utility clients — available to mobilize for cable failures, structure compromises, storm-related underground damage, and other urgent civil utility failures. Emergency work is executed under the same safety protocols as planned work: utility locates completed, protection coordination established, proper shoring in place before crew entry. Response time does not change what is required before anyone goes into the trench.

  • 24/7 on-call crew availability for utility clients
  • Rapid mobilization for underground electrical failures
  • Storm-related underground infrastructure damage response
  • Emergency excavation, assessment, and restoration
  • Full safety protocol compliance — no shortcuts under time pressure
Available to: Investor-owned utility clients with active contracted relationships
Execution Approach

How DeLeo Executes in Active Utility Environments

Utility locates are completed and verified before any trench opens. Protection plans are established before crews enter restricted zones. Sequencing is planned to maintain system continuity and outage windows are coordinated with utility dispatch.

Pre-Construction Coordination

Scope review with utility construction management, utility locates, protection engineer consultation, sequencing documentation, traffic control permitting — completed before groundbreaking.

Energized-Environment Protocols

Crews trained in minimum approach distances, high-voltage proximity PPE requirements, and utility-specific protection procedures. No crew enters a restricted zone without a coordinated protection plan in place.

Phased Installation to Maintain Uptime

Planned cutover sequences, temporary routing, and phased ductbank installation keep circuits online while permanent infrastructure is installed and tied in.

DeLeo underground utility excavation
Think Smart,
Think Safety
The Workforce

LIUNA Union-Affiliated Workforce

DeLeo's workforce is LIUNA-affiliated and trained to the requirements of IOU utility contracts — confined-space entry, trench shoring, energized-adjacent work protocols, lockout/tagout, and the utility-specific safety standards applied on United Illuminating and Eversource programs.

Low workforce turnover means the same foremen and operators are on the job in year three as in year one — no relearning the utility's standards, no rebuilding working relationships with construction managers mid-program.

LIUNA-affiliated tradespeople — laborers and operating engineers
Confined-space entry and trench safety certified
Energized-adjacent work and high-voltage proximity training
OSHA 10 & 30 certified field supervision
Prevailing wage compliant on all applicable public projects
Consistent, low-turnover crews on long-term utility programs
DeLeo LIUNA union crew
Discuss Your Project

Discuss Your Scope

If you are planning underground electrical work, substation civil scope, energy facility development, or utility infrastructure in the Northeast — contact DeLeo. Scope is reviewed directly, questions are practical, and proposals are based on what the work actually requires in the field.

DeLeo construction site