Conpower

Suntop Solar Farm is located near Wellington, south of Dubbo in regional New South Wales. The site accommodates a large-scale solar PV system that utilizes single-axis tracking and ground-mounted panels, generating 395 GWh of energy throughout the year. Single-axis tracking was selected for this project to harness the highest amount of solar irradiance as the panels will track the sun’s movement east to west each day.

CPP was assigned the Design, Construction, and Commissioning (D&C) of the new 132/33kV substation as part of the project. Responsibilities included:

1. Design and Construction: Developing and building the new substation, including a 175MVA power transformer and a new connection on the existing 132kV transmission line.
2. Auxiliary Services: Constructing and commissioning an Auxiliary Services Building and integrating supplied equipment.
3. Secondary Systems: Designing and installing secondary systems such as protection, control, metering, communications, and cabling, including OPGW communications for the substation.
4. Interface Coordination: Coordinating with Solar Farm EPC on the 33kV collector conduits AC. and DC Systems: Designing, building, and installing all required AC and DC systems for the substation.

The scope also covered comprehensive testing and commissioning, including Factory Acceptance Testing, SCADA Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, and overall commissioning of the substation.