ENERGY
"Managing our ever-increasing energy demands in a commercially sensible way, while at the same time meeting community expectations, is a serious challenge for the energy sector today. The solution lies in having stakeholders work closely together to collaborate on optimum outcomes."
Gour Choudhuri
Energy
Business Stream Leader
AUSTRALIAN COAL-FIRED POWER EXPERIENCE ASSISTS CHILE
Colbun S.A. is one of Chile’s ‘big three’ generators, with a multi-fuelled portfolio of over 2500MW. A hydro electricity producer in the 1990s, Colbun has expanded its generation capacity to include 900MW of highly efficient gas turbine based combined cycle plant, as well as some new hydro facilities. In response to changes in the Chilean gas supply scene in 2004, Colbun needed to diversify its fuel portfolio and planned a 2 x 350MW coal-fired power station at Coronel, a coastal site 500km south of the capital Santiago.
GHD was appointed in 2006 to provide Owner’s Engineer and Project Management services for the first unit. Our experienced coal-fired power personnel have formed an Integrated Owner team with Colbun personnel.
Services led by GHD include studies, specifications, bid management and contract award for the Power Island (comprising boiler, steam turbine generator set, and other auxiliary equipment, under an EPC contract), coal handling plant, seawater cooling water system, HV electrical interconnection, and environmental licencing support.
The USD700 million Unit 1 is expected to enter commercial operation in late 2010, the first of several ‘new generation’ coal-fired power stations to relieve Chile’s acute energy shortage.
NEW INDOR SUBSTATION FOR DARWIN
The Frances Bay Zone Substation was constructed to meet the increasing electricity demand in Darwin’s CBD. It is the first totally indoor substation to be constructed in the Northern Territory (housing one 66/11/6.6kV, 25/31.5/38MVA power transformer with space for an additional two transformers as well as a total of thirty-two 11kV panels). The building was specifically designed to conform to the space restrictions of the site and to incorporate aesthetic and environmental considerations.
Due to the size and technical complexity of the project, Power and Water Corporation contracted GHD to provide the specialist skills and knowledge needed for the multidisciplinary engineering and architectural design and project management.
The major engineering components of the project were to extend the existing cable tunnels from the CBD to the new substation and construct a building to house all the switchgear, control equipment and power transformers. Additional elements comprised the procurement and installation of high voltage equipment, re-termination of existing cable circuits and installation of new cables to connect the Darwin CBD to the new substation.
As a measure of the project’s success, the HV primary and secondary systems designed for the Frances Bay Zone Substation are now used as a basis for all Power and Water Corporation substations in the Northern Territory.
The substation was completed and commissioned in mid-2008. It received a high commendation in the 2008 Engineers Australia Northern Territory Engineering Excellence Awards.
