Temporary Power Design & Delivery
Delivering Broadcast-Ready Temporary Power at Longcross Studios
When the production team behind the GEELY Starray EM-i UK Launch began shaping a day built around innovation, connection and a tightly choreographed vehicle reveal, reliable and resilient power infrastructure was fundamental.
Staged across Studios C and D at Longcross Film Studios, the programme extended far beyond a traditional automotive launch. The event opened with press sessions and presentations, moved into driving experiences and hospitality, culminated in a one-hour live broadcast reveal, and continued with a four-hour experiential activation period. Production management company COG Live Ltd , contracted by creative agency Blueprint, appointed The Technical Department (TTD) as lead power supplier, with Jeff Jones acting as Power Head of Department.
Ben O’Shea, Technical Director at COG, explains:
“When this project arose, we specifically wanted TTD as our lead power supplier and wanted Jeff as Power HOD. What began as a relatively straightforward infrastructure brief quickly developed into something far more involved once we began advancing and properly mapping the venue’s capabilities.”
THE CHALLENGE
Although initial assumptions suggested the venue supply could support the majority of requirements, detailed advancing revealed greater complexity. This was not a single event environment. It was multiple operational layers running simultaneously:
- A broadcast reveal studio
- A separate brand experience studio
- OB trucks with defined broadcast loads
- Guest and crew catering operations
- Dressing rooms and washroom facilities
- Inflatable structures requiring 24-hour supply
- Production offices and vehicle trickle charging
- Full technical production including lighting, audio and video systems
In total, approximately 60 individual power drops would be required across the site. While the broadcast element itself was structured and predictable, the overlay of experiential, hospitality and infrastructure systems significantly increased the demand for resilience and distribution planning.
As 24-hour operational loads and broadcast-critical tolerance levels were assessed, it became clear that a fully redundant generator-based solution was required.
Ben comments: “In reality, we weren’t powering one event; we were powering four or five simultaneous deliverables with different tolerances and different operational rhythms.”
THE SOLUTION
TTD designed and delivered a synchronised twin-generator system to provide seamless resilience across all studios and compound requirements.
Jeff Jones, Project Manager at TTD, explains:“The overall package comprised two synchronised 500kVA generators feeding a common eight-way switch panel, providing Powerlock connectivity and distribution across all studio and compound requirements. The client’s initial brief and information were exceptional, which allowed us to model the full system in advance using ElectricalOM software. By the time we arrived on site, the design had already been stress-tested. Installation became about execution rather than re-design.”
The synchronised configuration meant either generator could carry the full design load independently, ensuring uninterrupted operation in the event of a failure.
Distribution ranged from 125A and e-face supplies serving the OB compound, through to heavy mains infrastructure for lighting and AV systems, alongside domestic supplies for production offices and overnight vehicle charging.
Installation began on Friday morning, with rehearsals on Monday and live broadcast transmission on Tuesday lunchtime. Detailed pre-site modelling, refined cable routing and coordinated scheduling ensured a smooth delivery within a compressed programme window.
Jeff adds: “When you’re supporting broadcast and timed reveal cues, there’s no room for hesitation. Redundancy isn’t optional – it’s fundamental.”
THE RESULTS
The Geely Starray EM-i UK Launch ran seamlessly from rehearsals through to live broadcast and experiential activation, with zero power interruptions across all phases. By building resilience into the system architecture from the outset and integrating closely with production, broadcast and venue stakeholders, TTD ensured critical systems operated exactly as programmed at the key reveal moment.
For COG, the project reinforced the importance of technical partnership. “What matters most to us isn’t just the equipment — it’s the people and the expertise behind it,” concludes Ben O’Shea. “When you know you have TTD on board, you don’t worry about power. And when you’re running a broadcast launch with that level of complexity, that confidence is everything.”
