Conpower

A facelift on a 40+ year old substation located in Parafield Gardens was recently wrapped up. On the 14th of November, Consolidated Power Projects announced the upgrade, bringing the substation up to ADM standards, covering everything from brand new transformer and line protection systems, to replacing the outdated CMB, CBF, bus zone protection and installation of six new instrument transformers.

Two of the existing 275kV CTs were also replaced and removed, replacing their existing supports and foundations. Trench was tackled, cable and wiring modifications were made, support infrastructure was added, and the site was given a new SCADA system to ensure everything is synchronised moving forward.

This was all accomplished ahead of time – five days before the scheduled completion date, despite challenges with four 14-day outages, and remote-end work to ensure minimal impact operations!

Project Manager, Johann Van Der Walt, explained that the project wasn’t without its challenges. “Of course, it wouldn’t be a project without a few bumps along the way. Between shifting timelines, network constraints, client delays and avoiding exclusion zones, we were kept on our toes!”

The project was characterised by the integration of creative legacy designs, as well as existing installations with limited as-built details, which presented a unique set of challenges. The turnover of the client’s project team staff added to the dynamic nature of the project, requiring adaptability to new faces and fresh perspectives. Despite these hurdles, the team secured the necessary approvals while staying on budget and schedule, demonstrating that flexibility and patience can lead to success.

A standout achievement in this project was the protection upgrade itself. The outdated pre-SDM and SDM systems were replaced with advanced ADM-standard protection, significantly enhancing PGW’s reliability and safety.

Mr. Van Der Walt explained that the integration of these new systems with the existing infrastructure was far from simple to implement, as it required extensive testing and meticulous coordination to achieve the desired result.

“While it may have seemed straightforward in theory, the execution was more complex. A special acknowledgment goes to the commissioning team, led by David Hall, for delivering an outstanding outcome!”

PGW has been successfully restored with state-of-the-art equipment, marking the completion of one phase and the transition to the next chapter of UAR, which includes two more UAR packages. The next steps involve finishing Mount Barker’s fourth and final outage, followed by similar procedures at Angas Creek, Morphett Vale East, Happy Valley, and Kilburn Substations. Support from the outage gatekeepers and AEMO will be essential throughout 2025.

Mr. Van Der Walt expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm for the upcoming year. “Thanks again to everyone involved, your hard work made all the difference. Here’s to another year of substation upgrade projects, and I’m looking forward to taking on 2025 and managing the remaining UAR program in a similar fashion.”