Australian Power & Energy News vol17 no92 july 2013

Please see our editorial and advertisement on pages 8 and 9

VOL. 17 NO. 92 - July 2013

Print Post No. PP100000928

All enquiries phone: +61 7 5478 9432 Email Enquiries: apen@worldpacific.com.au Circulated to key personnel within all Power Utilities and Power Generators throughout Australia and New Zealand each issue

Completion of the $8 Million Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station Special Feature on Pages 10 - 13

Boilers used to heat up the water prior to pumping into the Heat Exchange

Site Overview

Knowledge is power - bright sparks compare notes at TransGrid’s Demand Management Innovation Forum

I

T is the challenge faced by owners and managers of transmission networks and their customers, the power suppliers, worldwide. The focus these days is very much on responding in the appropriate manner, within the current regulatory framework, to what is a constantly changing demand environment – with the end game always being to ensure the safe and reliable supply.

Above: Mr John Howland, TransGrid, speaking at the Forum Last year, for the first time, TransGrid called on the experts to get together at the inaugural Demand Management Innovation Forum – and the 2nd annual event has just been held at Sydney’s Wesley Conference Centre.

Participants included representatives from Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs), universities, NSW government departments and other partners. Among those

who shared their thoughts and innovative ideas to the packed audience were officials from Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, ActewAGL, Essential Energy, Ergon Energy, RMIT and the University of Queensland.

The forum was an opportunity for all participants to present progress reports on joint initiatives and to provide discuss matters of interest leading into future regulatory periods.

Above: Question and answer session at DMIF Over the past few years, TransGrid has broadened its activities in the field of Demand Management to better understand the drivers behind consumer demand for energy and the ability to influence it through various methods, such as incentives and education. This incorporates encouraging the consumption less energy during peak times, and also where possible moving energy usage to off-peak times.

“We continue to promote demand management and network support from nonnetwork sources and defer capital expenditure if and when prudent,” said TransGrid Managing Director Peter McIntyre.

Those in attendance also heard that deferrals of projects will eventually flow through to customers by the network having a smaller regulated asset base.

Brama Bramanathan from ActewAGL’s asset management division was one of those who attended for the first time.

“I found it very informative and an excellent platform for sharing ideas and learning,” he said.

“The other participants I had discussions with on the day were very helpful and generous in providing support and assistance towards the projects we are running.”

Frank Bucca - Endeavour Energy’s Demand and Utilisation Manager was impressed with the practical nature of the forum.

Above: Mr Mal Coble, TransGrid

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“The fact that it was attended by real practitioners of demand management meant that the information that flowed was very useful,” Mr Bucca explained.

“We all attend seminars on demand management and the presentations are usually at a high level and theoretical but this forum is different in that real live programs are discussed and the issues are real.

“The fact that each organisation approaches demand management slightly differently means that the learning from programs can be adopted by others which ultimately results in more efficient implementation of cost effective DM program and savings for the community,” he said.

He had agreement from Mehdi Eghbal of the University of Queensland..

“The forum provided a great opportunity for NSW transmission and distribution utilities to share their experiences on implementing demand response program in their networks,” he said.

“Presentations from the distribution utilities were mainly focused on the outcomes and challenges of various demand response programs of which residential air conditioning load control was the main program.”

Participants agreed that demand management and forecasting electricity is complex and brings with it increasing challenges.

“Customer participation plays an important role in the amount of peak reduction,” Mr Eghbal added.

TransGrid develops its electricity transmission network in NSW in response to growth in demand for electricity, to connect new sources of generation to the network (including renewable generation such as wind farms) and in conjunction with the ongoing replacement of assets at the end of their service lives.

It owns and manages one of the largest highvoltage transmission networks in Australia, almost 12,800 kilometres of transmission line, connecting generators distributors and major end-users in NSW and the ACT and has links to Queensland and Victoria, facilitating interstate energy trading. TransGrid has a legislated obligation and stated aim to provide a safe, reliable and world-class electricity supply.

Its operations are also closely regulated to ensure power system security and economic efficiency.

TransGrid is planning to hold a third Demand Management Forum in 2014.

Australian Power & Energy News - Page 3

Renewable energy milestone on King Island H YDRO TASMANIA has reached a major milestone for its King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP), achieving a sustained period of zero diesel operation.

KIREIP brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies to increase renewable energy use on King Island and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It is a demonstration project that has potential application internationally for remote and off-grid renewable energy supply.

“The aim of KIREIP is to reduce diesel consumption for power generation on King Island by more than 65 per cent and provide for the ability to generate all of the island’s power needs using renewable energy when conditions allow,” said Project Director Simon Gamble.

“Achieving 100 per cent renewable energy penetration in large off-grid systems has remained elusive until now, and is very difficult to achieve given the need to maintain reliability and security of power supply under highly variable wind and solar conditions.”

Until now, operation of diesel engines has always been required to provide backup to the renewable system. Hydro Tasmania’s hybrid system provides backup through technologies that do not burn diesel fuel, allowing for the diesels to be turned off (zero diesel operation) and greater fuel savings.

This month Hydro Tasmania achieved for the first time sustained periods of 100 per cent renewable energy penetration on King Island, supported by the use of its enabling technologies. The project team expects that zero diesel operation will now occur for extended periods overnight when customer demand is lowest, and in daylight hours under high wind conditions.

To achieve this world-leading result Hydro Tasmania has used its own advanced automated control systems and dynamic resistor technology coupled with a standard flywheel uninterruptible power supply system, commonly used in hospitals and telephone exchanges. This enables all diesel generation to be switched off when there is sufficient wind and solar power to meet customer demand. The transition from diesel power station to 100 per cent renewables, and back again when and as required, is entirely automated and allows the station to achieve significant diesel savings while operating unstaffed.

“Hydro Tasmania’s integrated solution ensures that rapid and unpredictable changes in sun or wind conditions don’t cause interruptions to power supply – even when these are the only source of generation available.

“Although there are remote area power systems in some parts of the world that are capable of supplying the energy needs of single homes or small villages, this is the first remote system on this scale capable of supplying the power needs of an entire community, including industrial customers and an extensive distribution network, solely through wind and solar energy.”

“Having established that zero diesel operation is possible, we are now looking to increase the duration for which we can operate in this mode,” Mr Gamble said.

“Later this year we expect to enhance performance further, through the use of customer load control and energy storage. This will help maintain a stable power system in the absence of diesel generation even during the inevitable lulls in wind or solar conditions.”

Hydro Tasmania is seeking to commercialise

its off-grid energy solutions and export these to customers in Australia, and in due course to the Pacific and the South East Asia region.

“KIREIP demonstrates the important role that renewable energy can play in displacing highcost, emission-intensive fossil fuels from the off-grid sector,” Mr Gamble said.

“Diesel fuel remains the single largest expense in these remote systems and using renewable energy makes good economic sense.”

KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government.

Above: Containerised Biodiesel Tank

Above: One of the installed D-UPS units

Page 4 - Australian Power & Energy News

The King Island advanced Hybrid Power Station Site of KIREIP

Hydro Tasmania’s CEO Roy Adair is leaving the business

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HAIRMAN David Crean said Mr Adair and the Board had agreed that the time was right for a change to take the business through its next phase and to provide long-term stability to the organisation.

Above: Project Director Simon Gamble

Dr Crean said this followed the completed transfer of Tamar Valley Power Station to Hydro Tasmania as a material element of the implementation of the Government’s electricity industry reform process. It came at the same time as the end of another successful year for the business and the completion of a number of significant projects.

“In his three years at the helm of Hydro Tasmania, Roy has led the business to record levels of profit and raised the level of performance such that it is well-placed to deal with the many challenges ahead,” Dr Crean said.

“Roy leaves a legacy of a well-run business, having steered Hydro Tasmania through the Expert Panel Review and the electricity reform implementation process, as well as making significant progress in achieving our key strategic goals as an integrated energy player in the National Electricity Market.

“The Board and Roy have agreed that now is the time for change and to make way for new leadership of the business as it looks ahead to the post-reform period.”

Mr Adair said it had been an honour and privilege to work with such a talented, passionate and committed team of people at Hydro Tasmania, Momentum and Entura.

He also acknowledged the significant support and excellent relationship he had enjoyed with the Chairman and the Board of Hydro Tasmania.

“I wish the business and its entire staff a very successful and prosperous future,” said Mr Adair.

Dr Crean said that on behalf of the Board he wanted to acknowledge the contribution Roy had made to the Tasmanian electricity industry and to Hydro Tasmania both as CEO and as a director.

“As CEO, Roy has presided over some significant events that have changed the face of Hydro Tasmania, including a profit of over $100 million in both of the last two years.

The business is on track to double that annual profit this financial year.

“In addition he has overseen the building of the Musselroe Wind Farm and the sell-down of our existing wind assets while managing the many challenges faced by the business.

“The Corporation is now positioned to ensure it continues to capture its growing share of the energy market through Tasmania’s foresight of building Basslink and our acquisition of our retail arm Momentum Energy.

“The changing market conditions in the Australian energy industry will test the industry’s mettle over the coming years and Hydro Tasmania is now looking for a new long-term leader who can take the business into the future in a united and cohesive manner.”

Dr Crean said the Board had established a process to appoint a new CEO, which is expected to take up to two months to complete.

In the meantime, the Board has appointed Stephen Davy as acting CEO until a permanent replacement has been selected. Stephen was previously Chief Commercial Officer.

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Australian Power & Energy News - Page 5

Mobility Innovations for the Next Generation Utility The current (albeit more advanced) state of mobility at energy utilities, emerging challenges, and the future of mobile solutions for utilities.

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TILITIES are experiencing rapidly changing field mobility requirements as they race to keep up with constant change in the industry.

New mobile technology is enabling utilities to eliminate much of the cost and lag time associated with paperwork.

The electronic mobile despatch of work is not new to utilities, but the ability to easily create mobile applications that can replace the entire “paper packet” for a job, going into and returning from the field, has only recently become possible — and is emerging in an increasing number of production operations worldwide.

As a further benefit of mobility, many more advantages are available today beyond the reduction of asset paperwork and manual reporting. Crew member reshuffling from the field, executing safety checklists and switching procedures, managing individual and crew timesheets, viewing network maps, and even capturing job expenses like “meal pay” — can be accomplished from laptops, tablets and smartphones.

As modern enterprise systems eliminate data silos, everyone at the utility becomes a potential user of data about its assets. With this increased data use and transparency comes the expectation that everyone will have 24/7 access to the data from wherever they are.

Automated work despatch and field reporting Mobility applications have evolved to the point that some utilities have been able to completely eliminate the use of paper in the field. Screens may be customised to accommodate any desired report functions from meter changes to service requests to scheduled inspections and maintenance so that all data for reporting is captured electronically in the field with redundant data entry eliminated.

Taking these capabilities a step further provides real-time updates to the back office so that service managers, as well as asset and outage managers, can have real-time visibility from the most direct contact in the field — the inspector, the lineman or other field worker.

Providing remote access to facilities information through a database linked with a GIS to show network connectivity gives field crews the information they need to do their work. This results in fewer calls or trips to the office for missing information.

With the right mobile applications, real-time service optimisation becomes possible. Updates from the field can be combined with accurate GPS location information and then translated into scheduling and decision-making algorithms to fill idle time or delay low-priority work.

Data collected by work management systems naturally lends itself to asset management activities. Crews that install or repair equipment are in an ideal position to assess the condition of the utility’s assets and enter real-time updates on a mobile device.

Access to accurate, current information based on equipment inspection and repair activities is particularly important for electric utilities intent on safe management of expensive network

components, whether aging or newly installed.

Designers and planners typically divide their work between the field and the office and benefit significantly from design tools integrated with GIS, work management, permitting systems, and asset management. Mobile applications allow a designer to adapt a drawing to field conditions and to revise completed “as-built” drawings to show details of actual construction.

In turn, the accuracy of GIS systems benefits from the ability to capture or correct facilities information while looking directly at the asset versus entering the information after returning to the office. Data maintenance is historically a major part of the total cost of ownership for a GIS. As it becomes more accurate and current, the value of outage management systems increases in parallel.

Moving from assets to people, this new mobile technology enables crew leaders to manage crew assignments entirely from the field, eliminating the morning shuffle in the office. At the end of the day, crew managers are able to finalise digital time sheets by adjusting prepopulated fields of assigned work and times, eliminating possibly erroneous redundant data entry and time wasted to enter it, and minimising the delay to deliver time sheets for payroll.

Given that safety is typically the highest-ranked priority for a utility, mobile software has an important role to play in minimising risk to field staff. Switching and safety procedures can now be provided in a checklist format. This serves as a procedural reminder as well as documentation to the utility that work was performed according to policy.

While mobility may have started with eliminating phone calls and minimal paperwork, it already provides much more for many utilities throughout the world. At least for some leading utilities, field mobility has made the move from being a tool for simple updates to becoming the central workplace for crew managers and supervisors.

Moving beyond paperless: mobility for asset management, crew management and safety Maintaining equipment assets safely for the utility workforce and the public and determining the optimum time for replacement is a critical role of the asset management system.

Capturing information about the assets directly from the field for real-time delivery to the asset management database is the surest path to timely, accurate data and safe maintenance of the grid.

Office managers can have real-time access to the data while field staff can have the ability to access asset profiles on their mobile devices to query for equipment information and locations.

The future is expected to bring dramatic changes in the volume of data collected due to the recent upswing in smart meter implementations, with millions of meter reads each year including thousands of missing reads and hundreds of meter failures.

Distribution automation and substation automation initiatives will result in an exponential increase in the information from grid assets.

Managing and leveraging this influx of information is critical to realising full benefits from the new

Above: The real-time schedule of field personnel can be accessed by anyone authorised 24/7 from wherever they are technology. Utilities will be able to manage and reduce risk due to collection of frequent, current, and accurate data.

Concurrent with rapid technology change in the utility’s network assets, trends in the consumerdriven mobile marketplace have become extreme, with new devices and applications expected every year, which translates to their demands for mobility in the workplace.

More and more people across the organisation are accessing back-end data from their mobile devices and they expect access to every backend system available from their office network.

Individual staff members are using multiple devices — at minimum a laptop or tablet and a smartphone — and they expect seamless IT support for these devices as well as others they choose to add in the future.

As consumer technology for mobile devices proliferates, enterprise users have come to expect ever-increasing functionality from enterprise mobility. These user demands drive requirements for robust and device agnostic mobile solutions for the utility enterprise.

IT resources will be asked to manage the volume of data the new smart devices collect as well as manage the devices themselves. In-house or contracted field crews are experiencing a massive increase in workload to install the new meters and will have responsibility for troubleshooting issues and meter maintenance once a rollout is complete.

Their performance can be optimised by providing mobile devices with simple, intuitive user interfaces that allow them to focus on the work at hand rather than suffer the distraction of learning complex new software.

The advancement of web browsers to support HTML5 allows software developers to create webaccessed applications that can be accessed from virtually any platform, from Microsoft to Android and iOS. Web technologies, such as HTML5, have emerged from the functionality of building simple static pages to create advanced online and offline applications for any platform, including mobile ones. HTML5 makes adjusting to different devices easy, taking advantage of attractive capabilities such as camera access, file browsing, and barcode scanning.

The problem of the shortage of very technical mobile developers is also addressed with “visual” environments for creating mobile applications with little or no “code”.

One of the greatest challenges for utilities has been breaking down the walls between the field and the back office; this can now be overcome because of the rapid advancement of mobility. This substantially advances the ability of IT to deliver on mobile business requirements that have existed for years; many new capabilities that were never thought possible outside of the office.

The future for utilities: pervasive mobility in an age of smart grid

Above: A utility serviceman reports from the field Page 6 - Australian Power & Energy News

As mobile devices proliferate, convergence will be the wave of the future. Putting mobile

applications in the hands of field staff provides a significant benefit for the utility, but other participants in enterprise-wide mobility stand to gain as well.

The field supervisor will be able to schedule work from any location, at any time, then can follow up to see how the work is progressing.

The field organisation can become more flexible and nimble in its daily work as field managers reprioritise work and assignments in response to ongoing changes. Critical decisions regarding operations can be made much more quickly, given instant communication paired with access to accurate information on equipment in the field.

Utility executives will be able to access all of the organisation’s data from their smart phones or tablets. For instance, just prior to a press conference a utility executive can instantly access the latest network data to quickly respond to a regulator, the public, or the press, providing accurate information regarding the repair history of a gas leak or major outage.

Service managers will have access to real-time key performance indicators of the organisation: progress of jobs, incomplete jobs, and projected overtime. Sales staff will have instant access to pricing and load information for local areas.

Transparent access to common software and data will foster good communication between departments and reduce information silos.

Convergence will extend beyond common access to mobile technology, evolving into a philosophy of the entire enterprise operating on a common data model.

Ultimately, improved flow of common data within the utility will provide better service to its traditional energy customers, as well as meeting expectations or requirements of its public and regulatory consumers of information.

Support in the mobile arena has increased with the entry of big technology players such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple. Increases in processor size and communications bandwidth enables increased capability to work outside of the office and accomplish complex tasks such as capturing photos of a job, issuing detailed plans to field crews, and documenting field activity, and all in real time.

Given the intersection of rapid change in the utility industry and in mobile technology, it is realistic to envision a future when every application is mobile and a reference to field mobility within utilities becomes redundant. As the work of running a utility increases, and the margin decreases, the shareholders may be looking as much to the technology that is in the workers’ hands as to the technology connected to the grid.

This article is from a white paper by Sierra Energy Group, the Research & Analysis Division of Energy Central. It is based on the experiences of ClickSoftware, the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimisation solutions for every size of service business. www.clicksoftware.com

Varley Group to Produce Terex Crane Borers to Suit Any Job T

HE company, Terex Utilities Inc based in Watertown, South Dakota is the largest producer of crane borers and elevating work platforms in the USA and possibly the world. Their expertise and mass production has been available in Australia through Telescopic Tower Enterprises for the last seven years but is headed for a larger and more extensive promotion through the Varley Group.

Earlier this year the Varley Group, well known for their diverse industry range in special vehicles, aviation, defence, power generation and ship services acquired the business of Telescopic Towers and with Terex backing intend to lift the presence of the equipment range to a new level of sales and service. In particular the group will be holding stock of several models of crane borers and elevating work platforms to ensure early delivery at very competitive price levels. This will be backed by Australia wide service.

The original operators of Telescopic Towers, Geoffrey Eberhard and Tony Newton have moved to the Varley Group at Virginia in Brisbane to ensure a smooth transition with existing clientele.

The Terex manufacturing business was inspected by the Varley Managing Director, Jeff Phillips and General Manager of the Varley TTE Division, Pierre Sidorow earlier this year and considered to be a model of excellence due to intensive quality assurance programs. Most impressive was the ability to produce a large range of models to suit any job mounted on trucks or tracks.

In Australia there are several different models of crane borers operating and the diversity can be seen from the different models and the options. The most interesting crane borer is the unit recently supplied to Electrical Connection Services being a combination 15m crane borer with the optional snap-on bucket with hydraulic levelling, all mounted on a track carrier. This unit operating in rough terrain firstly with the crane borer and then the alternate use of an elevating work platform has proven to be a very versatile combination.

On the smaller side the Terex crane borers have the 4000 series with sheave heights from 12.8m to 15.4m all suitable for 4 x 2 or 4 x 4 trucks, ideal for operating in suburban areas where roads might not be quite so wide and manoeuvring space limited. All the smaller units still retain the powerful 16,000Nm auger motors needed

for efficient boring.

The next size up in the range is the 6000 series with sheave heights from 15.6m to 18.3m. This is the range generally preferred by the power authorities and most of the Terex models operating here are in that range. The C6000 series can be configured with the standard rear mount or if the truck is also designed for use with a jinker to carry poles then the C6000 Series would be front mounted. Several truck models including Mack, Hino, Isuzu and Volvo have been fitted with the C6000 units.

Operators who need even larger crane borers usually opt for the Terex General series with sheave heights from 16.2m to 29.1m. The larger crane borers are generally fitted with the Terex 19,000Nm auger drive.

All Terex crane borers come with tilting pole grabs of various sizes to handle poles from 310mm to 730mm. The pole claws can operate from the end of both the first and second booms with an easy change over facility to maximise the drilling range.

Terex have a patented insulated fibre glass third boom on all their crane borers providing an additional level of safety when operating near live wires. The Terex crane borers are equipped with either Robway or 3B6 Load Monitoring Systems which provide a digital readout and control of allowable loads.

In addition to the crane borers, Terex also manufacture the Reedrill pressure drillers for maximum drilling ability.

There are three models available: the 330 with a torque of 71,200Nm and a drilling depth of 6m; the 650 with a four speed gear box and a drilling depth up to 15m and the 800 model with a torque of 102,000Nm, a drill diameter of 2,48m and a depth of up to 29m Telescopic Towers welcome inspection of their units operating at any on the many locations throughout Australia and a call to Geoffrey Eberhard on 0413 225 979 is the quickest way to arrange a quotation and demonstration of the units.

Brisbane, Queensland – Friday May 24th, 2013: The Varley Group of companies announces the acquisi on of Telescopic Tower Enterprises Pty Ltd and its entry into the power u li es, crane borer and eleva ng work pla orm industry. TTE is a Brisbane based company that is the exclusive Australian, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand dealer for USA company TEREX vehicle-mounted Eleva ng Work Pla orms (EWP’s), Crane Borers and Cable Placers.

The Varley Group formed in 1886, and is now a leading engineering manufacturing and support Company that has opera ons in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Sales of products and services extend across Australia and globally. Varley is broad-based with recogni on in a diverse industry range including avia on, defence, power genera on, rail, ship services and specialised vehicles.

Enquire on our Massive Range of Crane Borers Terex C4050: This 15m combina on crane borer and EWP opera ng on tracks is most versa le. Owned and operated by Electrical Connec on Services in NSW, the unit digs, erects poles and with the EWP op on can service and dress poles in the hard to reach rough terrain areas.

Terex C4050 on Mercedes Atego 1629 4 x 4 This 15m crane borer can be mounted on a 4 x 4 truck for work in suburban areas where the roads are narrower than usual and manoeuvring space limited. It has the full 16,000Nm performance of its big brothers.

Terex C6051 5/10 tonne model is the most popular model in the Terex fleet and can be mounted on the truck at rear for standard opera ons or at the front as illustrated here when used in conjunc on with a pole jinker for carrying the poles with the unit.

Terex C6060 18m 5/10 tonne The next size up is the 18m sheave height model which can be fi ed with the Terex 19,000Nm auger motor for crashing through hard rock in a hurry. This model is a real workhorse and several are opera ng in Australia very efficiently for their owners.

The Terex General Series up to 29m sheave height when the job calls for top level performance. These models are unsurpassed for big performance when it is really needed.

The Generals come in 16m, 20m and 29m sheave heights.

For full details on thefull range of Terex Crane Borers or EWPs call: Geoffrey Eberhard on 0413 215 979 or email: geoff@telescopictowers.com.au Or contact Telescopic Tower Enterprises Pty Ltd Varley Group, 34 Yarraman Place Virginia Q 4014 Phone 07 3326 2043

www.telescopictowers.com.au

Above: Terex General Series crane borer Australian Power & Energy News - Page 7

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Each tool is supplied with a 220v charger, 2 x re-chargeable batteries and a Heavy Duty Steel carry case.

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Industry exclusive mechanical â&#x20AC;&#x153;Visual Pop-Up Indicatorâ&#x20AC;&#x153;, driven directly from the relief valve â&#x20AC;&#x201C; assuring a correct crimp each & every time. *Patent Pending.

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Audible â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clickâ&#x20AC;&#x153; Indicator â&#x20AC;&#x201C; assuring correct crimp pressure.

â&#x20AC;˘

Industry exclusive MSS design head & piston, completely removing all retract pinch points, for ultimate safety *Patent Pending.

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Pressure biased release valve for easy piston retraction.

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Partial piston retract, speeding crimp cycle time, and saving battery life.

Proudly Australian

14.6 Short Ton 13 tonnes 7.2 kg complete with 3.0Ah battery

Tool Weight

15.8 lbs

Jaw Opening

1.65 â&#x20AC;&#x153;

42mm

Length

16.45 â&#x20AC;&#x153;

425mm

Width

2.87 â&#x20AC;&#x153;

73mm

Height

11.4 â&#x20AC;&#x153;

290mm

Operating Voltage

18 V-DC

Recharge Time

1 hour

Battery

18V x 3.0Ah Li-ion

Part No. MSS-C130-42-18V

Call our 1800 number to organise a demonstration from our Power Sales Representative National Sales T 1800 769 370 E: sales@msspower.com.au W: cabacpower.com.au W: msspower.com.au Australian Power & Energy News - Page 9

Completion of the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station Project

ActewAGL’s gas network upgrade benefits ACT and Queanbeyan customers ActewAGL recently completed an $8 million project to upgrade the Fyshwick natural gas Trunk Receiving Station (TRS) to increase the capacity of the natural gas network and improve security of supply for the whole of the ACT and Queanbeyan gas networks.

The new Fyshwick TRS will also provide additional capacity necessary to meet forecast growth in demand for the whole of the ACT and Queanbeyan gas network for the next 40 plus years and mitigates loss of supply risks of up to 40,000 customers in a 1 in 5 year winter event.

The Fyshwick TRS is a crucial component of ActewAGL’s local gas distribution network.

Receiving gas from the high-pressure Eastern Gas Pipeline, the station regulates the pressure for reticulation through the medium and low pressure networks that distribute natural gas

across the ACT and Queanbeyan regions. It is one of two trunk receiving stations that feed the ACT and Queanbeyan natural gas networks.

ActewAGL General Manager Asset Management Stephen Devlin said, “This development will ensure more homes and businesses can enjoy the benefits of natural gas and improve the reliability and integrity of gas supply for the ACT and Queanbeyan.

“We’re proud to announce the completion of this project in Canberra’s Centenary year, as this upgrade will cater for increased demand as Canberra continues to grow.”

The Fyshwick TRS upgrade project commenced in July 2012 and was managed by ActewAGL contractor ZNX, which provides services for the operation, maintenance and development of ActewAGL’s gas networks infrastructure.

Above: Duty and Standby regulator runs used to reduce Trunk operating gas pressure down to primary pipeline operating pressure

NWEC’s Flexibility Delivers First Class Service Every Time Above: Heat exchangers used to heat gas prior to reducing its pressure

Pty Ltd 29 Yennora Av, Yennora NSW 2161 Phone (02) 8724 7000 info@nwec.com.au

Our involvement with the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station included:■ Fabrication of structure and piping ■ In-house blasting and painting ■ Hydro & Gas testing ■ Off-site skid assemblty ■ On site fitting, welding & commissioning w w w. nwe c. co m . a u Page 10 - Australian Power & Energy News

NWEC (New World Engineering Construction) is a specialist steel fabrication, installation, construction management and skilled welding resource supply company that has been providing first class fabrication and resource provision services to the gas, petrochemical, rail, road, processing, mining and heavy industry sectors across Australia for over 25 years.

What sets NWEC apart is the extremely high and consistent quality of its steel fabrication and welding resource services backed up by its comprehensive quality, safety and project systems & procedures matched to its flexibility and commitment to work in partnership with its clients and to always deliver on its promises.

“At NWEC we take pride in our workmanship and ability to always meet or exceed our client’s needs and expectations. We appreciate the trust and importance our client’s place with us on their projects and are committed to delivering superior outcomes and value,” said Jae Lee, Managing Director.

Most of NWEC’s repeat work comes from the highly demanding Australian petrochemical, gas, mining, aviation and rail industries where standards of safety, quality, systems and procedures are paramount. Complimenting this quality is our ability to work in with endclients, EPC contractors and other major onsite contractors to provide those services in a safe, efficient and seamless manner where communication, flexibility and site harmony are all essential keys to success.

As a result NWEC are able to provide a flexible suite of services either in isolation or in any combination to suit the particular project needs of its clients.

Our industry sector expertise includes: • Petrochemical • Mining & Processing • Power Stations • Waste Water Facilities • Gas Processing & Distribution • Pulp & Paper • Airports & fuel lines • Railways & Road transport Recent major projects include: • Amcor B9 Paper Machine Project at Botany • M5 Motorway Cashless Tolling Gantries at Western Sydney • Vopak Terminals Bio-diesel Project at Port Botany • Ravensworth North Coal Mine Expansion project • Sydney Port Botany Terminal 3 Expansion • Sydney Desalination Project Please visit our website at www.nwec.com.au or call us on (02) 8724 7000.

Completion of the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station Project

A Total Solution Provider for Natural Gas Applications

F

URNACE Engineering Gas Systems (FEGAS) built and supplied two 1750kW boiler heat-exchangers for installation during the upgrade to the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station (TRS). They will be used to heat gas entering the facility and provide redundancy to increase the security of gas supply to the ACT and Queanbeyan regions.

FE Gas Systems’ Sales Engineer Steven Cooper said that the two systems had been ordered by Zinfra Group from the company due to the fact that it was an experienced designer and supplier of such systems to the oil and gas industry in Australia.

Mr Cooper explained that natural gas is transmitted at high pressure over long distances and that the pressure is reduced at stations, such as the Fyshwick TRS, before it enters the local gas supply network. Gas expands when its pressure is reduced and cools dramatically to -10°C or -15°C via the Joule-Thomson effect and can form crystalline hydrates which damage the pipeline system.

The traditional method of heating is a water bath heater. He said that an alternative methodology to heat gas using a heat exchanger fed by hot water from a gas-fired boiler was common place overseas and was gaining acceptance in Australia after its many benefits had been noted by the industry.

The systems provided by FEGAS heat water to between 70 and 80°C and pump it to a heat exchanger in-line with the main gas transmission pipeline. The systems can be run in tandem or one can be kept on standby, if required, and each is equipped with two pumps to provide extra redundancy.

Mr Cooper said that there are many benefits to using boiler heat exchangers including the fact that they are much cheaper to buy and run and take up much less space. He puts this down to the fact that they use about 10 percent of the water needed by a water bath system.

This means that the design and construction does not have to accommodate the large and heavy volume of water required by a water bath. The fact that there is less water to heat also reduces costs and makes the systems much quicker to respond (especially important in applications such as standby power stations) when compared to the older water bath heaters.

FEGAS is a division of Furnace Engineering which was established in 1968 and has become a renowned specialist in heating applications for the non-ferrous, mining, smelting and steelmaking industries. Through the establishment of FEGAS, the company extended its operations into the supply of specialist equipment for the natural gas industry which it either fabricates itself or sources from suppliers around the world.

The company currently offers solutions in: • Natural Gas heating systems • Natural Gas Filtering packages • Natural Gas Pressure reducing and metering stations • Valve stations • Aluminium Melting & Processing Plant • High Temperature Atmosphere & Vacuum •Furnaces • Induction Melting & Heating Furnaces

A Total Solution Provider For Natural Gas Applications FEGAS offers Engineered Solutions to the Natural Gas Industry and we are a Single Supplier, from Conceptual Design through Manufacturing to Commissioning & Start-Up. ■ Natural Gas Heating Systems ■ Natural Gas Filtering packages ■ Natural Gas Pressure reducing and metering stations ■ Maintenance ■ Training ■ Type B appliance qualified technicians A Division of Furnace Engineering 50 Howleys Road, Notting Hill 3168 Victoria Australia

Phone: 03 9544 2922 Fax: 03 9544 2723 Email: info@fegas.com.au Web: www.fegas.com.au

Australian Power & Energy News - Page 11

Completion of the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station Project

Zinfra completes $8-million upgrade to Fyshwick TRS

Z

INFRA, provider of design, construction, maintenance and operation services to the utility infrastructure sector, recently completed a major upgrade of the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station (TRS).

The upgrade was aimed at boosting the natural gas supply capacity and improving the security of supply to the ACT and Queanbeyan regions.

The fast-tracked $8-million project was awarded to Zinfra in 2012 by ActewAGL with the firm stipulation that the project had to be completed before the onset of winter in 2013.

“The extremely tight deadline was due to the comparative severity of the winters in the region and the fact that a high percentage of households are dependent on gas for heating and cooking,” said Zinfra project manager Abbas Moussawi.

Mr Moussawi said that the region, including the nation’s capital Canberra, obtained its gas supplies from the Moomba Sydney Pipeline, through a TRS at Watson, and from the Eastern Gas Pipeline through the Fyshwick TRS. He said that the Fyshwick facility had not had the capacity to supply the whole area in the event of a failure of supply at the Watson TRS and that this had been a prime reason for the upgrade along with the need to build extra capacity for projected future demand.

The Fyshwick TRS had a maximum capacity of 50,000 Standard Cubic Meters Per Hour (SCMH) when Zinfra was awarded the project in January 2012 with the aim of boosting capacity to 180,000 SCMH, which projections show will be required in the region by 2029.

The project’s critical deadline and the 10month lead times on the manufacture of the necessary equipment in Italy and the USA meant that the project’s engineering design had to be completed very rapidly to ensure that orders could be placed and the equipment manufactured in time.

The design called for the high-pressure gas entering the facility to pass through heat exchangers to mitigate Joule Thompson effects.

The innovation has only been implemented a few times on downstream gas networks so far and it represents the current state-of-the-art in pre-heating gas prior to transferring natural gas from high-pressure pipelines to lower-pressure networks.

Another innovation designed into the new Fyshwick system by Zinfra engineers was that control valves were replaced with ones which can not only be operated remotely, but can also be tuned or operated manually.

“Even though the project design called for complete redundancy in monitoring and control electronics and valve actuators, the manual control option will provide even more security of supply,” said Zinfra commissioning manager Chris Butler.

Another requirement taken in account by Zinfra engineers during the design phase was the need for the system to be able to control the flow of gas from the EGP into the 60km spur pipeline leading to the Fyshwick TRS.

Above: ActewAGL‘s upgrade to the Fyshwick natural gas Trunk Receiving Station The fact that the ACT/Queanbeyan region uses the spur pipeline itself to store an amount of gas for emergency use (a procedure known as linepack) made it vital to have a system in place to ensure pressures would be adequate.

Construction began in October 2012 with Zinfra managing the project and coordinating the activities of four major sub-contractors.

“The fact that the Fyshwick TRS was a brownfield site created a challenge from a safety point of view because work had to proceed in close proximity to high-pressure gas lines,” Mr Moussawi said.

He also said that the construction team had not been able to close the system down before work started but had to keep it running before switching over to the system at the last moment.

Occasional shutdowns of the system had to be carefully scheduled for periods of low demand when the Watson TRS could deliver sufficient gas volumes.

With both systems running in parallel for a time, the Zinfra team faced the possibility that their control systems would not interoperate but, said Mr Butler, all challenges were successfully overcome and the project was completed on schedule and under budget.

Commissioning of the upgraded facility began in April 2013 and was complete by June 14, 2013.

Above: Boilers used to heat up the water prior to pumping into the Heat Exchangers Page 12 - Australian Power & Energy News

Mr Moussawi said that the operation of the facility had been taken over by Zinfra and that the successful completion of the upgrade had cemented Zinfra’s already strong relationship with client ActewAGL. He said that the group was already engaged in a number of other projects for the power giant including the building of a primary gas pipeline to the southern ACT region, other gas-related projects, a water reservoir and two electrical substations.

He said he put Zinfra’s success in delivering complex and challenging projects down to their technical expertise as well as a thorough consideration of all potential issues inherent in a project. A small example of this was the lengths the group went to in workshops to get feedback from Operations and Asset Management on safety aspects of the upgrade, and the lengthy negotiations with Governmental Authorities to obtain all necessary approvals to allow the project to go ahead.

Quality and safety Zinfra’s primary focus in delivering all projects is to minimise any harm to clients, employees and the communities across Australia that they work in. Zinfra has implemented a structured HSEQ Management System which covers environmental, safety and quality aspects of the business and is certified to the AS 4801 OH&S Management, ISO 14001 Environmental Management and ISO 9001 Quality Management standards.

Zinfra has also attainted re-certification by the Occupational Federal Safety Commissioner.

Services The Zinfra brand is part of Zinfra Group, which provides engineering, construction, maintenance and operations services across the utility infrastructure sectors of gas, power, water and telecommunications nationally.

Engineering and Design Zinfra Group has an in-house team consisting of highly experienced engineers from a number of disciplines including electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, civil and structural. The team provides services to all Zinfra Group clients ranging from concept, feasibility studies and detailed design right through to construction, procurement, project management, commissioning and operation.

Project Management Zinfra Group operates a Project Office which in manages a wide variety of projects on behalf of clients. Their Project Management System is based on a Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and contains processes and methods to assist in delivering projects and ensure the use of best practices and risk minimisation at all times.

Asset Operation and Management Zinfra Group can either operate assets on behalf of clients or provide the necessary expertise to assist clients in obtaining the best possible return on assets they operate themselves.

Above: Site Overview

Completion of the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station Project

Pinnacle supplies vavles for Fyshwick project

P

INNACLE Valve Solutions played a vital role in the recently completed project to upgrade the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station (TRS).

The company is a specialist provider of products and services related to pipelines across a wide range of industries and is a preferred supplier of ball valves, check valves, relief valves, monolithic insulation joints, instrument valves and manifolds to Zinfra, which managed the upgrade project on behalf of their client ActewAGL. Pinnacle Valve Solutions was awarded the contract for the supply of Dafram Ball ValvesItaly, Goodwin Check valves, UK, and Mercer Relief Valves, USA, for the upgrade project consisting of: • 10 x 8” Dafram Class 900# three piece boltedbody trunnion-mounted ball valves • 7 x 10” Dafram Class 600# fully welded trunnion -mounted ball valves • 8 x 10” Dafram Class 600# three-piece boltedbody trunnion-mounted ball valves The Dafram valves were selected for their use of high quality raw materials, exceptional design, long service life, stringent in-house manufacturing and assembly procedures and quality documentation. The Dafram valves are fully traceable and Certified by TUV Rheinland to SIL 3. With local engineering support and knowledge, the Dafram valves were the valves of choice.

Also included with the order were: • 2 x 10” Goodwin Class 600# dual plate nonreturn valves • 2 x 8” Goodwin Class 600# dual plate nonreturn valves The Goodwin valves have been described as the most advanced dual-plate check valves currently available, and • 4 x 1” x 2”Mercer Class 1500# pressure relief valves

“The comparatively short amount of time given to complete the project and the extremely tight deadlines meant that Zinfra needed a valve supplier with extensive technical experience and the ability to fast-track the order and manufacturing process,” said Pinnacle Valve Solutions director John Acitelli, “I have had 28 years of experience in the oil and gas industry during which I have built close relationships based on trust with a number of manufacturers of valves and related equipment such as Dafram.

“These relationships have enabled me to source exceptional and world class-leading products to suit clients’ exact requirements at an extremely competitive price point.

“By liaising constantly with the manufacturers both before order and during production, we are able to cut lead times to the absolute minimum and ensure that components are delivered exactly when needed.

“Long experience dealing with the suppliers has also given me confidence that they will do everything humanly possible to make their deliveries on time.”

Products Pinnacle Valve Solutions can offer a wide range of products including: • DAFRAM ball valves and floating and trunnion-mounted valves • VIMEC instrument valves and manifolds • Sigeval butterfly valves • Enimex plug valves • CALOBRI gate, globe and check valves • Ergil Group closure, pig launchers and receivers • ALFA Engineering quick opening closures (QOC) • QTRCO Q-Series Rack & Gear™ actuators and F-Series Flat Yoke™ Actuators • SOLDO Controls switch boxes Other suppliers which Pinnacle Valve Solutions deals with on a regular basis include: • Ellepi SrL Italy • DVG Automation Italy • Mercer Valve Co USA • Midland Controls UK Services Apart from the extensive range of products that it can offer, Pinnacle Valve Solutions also provides its clients with a wide range of services including: Engineering and design Mr Acitelli believes that the best way to get a pipeline functioning to its maximum potential is to get the design right from the start and his company provides a consultancy service based on almost 30 years of experience of the conditions and challenges around almost any type of valve compliance and design system or application.

This makes Pinnacle Valve Solutions a natural engineering partner for design optimisation

– meaning a shorter time to market, design verification – to fill client knowledge gaps – and root cause analysis to solve problems based on facts. Other services include product and equipment failure analysis reporting and independent third-party inspection services.

Instrumentation Pinnacle Valve Solutions also provides specialised services for when instrumentation is needed by supplying instrument valves and manifolds, including transmitters, or preparing and developing pneumatic / hydraulic schematics for control systems.

Service and repair The company offers a full backup service for the equipment it distributes including the repair and refurbishment, plant maintenance, inspection services, annual overhauls, long-term service agreements and the supply of spare parts for the equipment it distributes and other brands as well.

Company profile Pinnacle Valve Solutions was established by Mr Acitelli in 2009 to supply pipeline valves, controls and related equipment to a wide range of industries including the oil and gas, petrochemical, water, wastewater, mining and power generation, among many others.

After more than 25+ years of experience as a mechanical engineer, mainly in the oil and gas sector specialising in the specification and design of valves, actuators and instrumentation packages, he realised that there were no companies in Australia offering brandindependent personal service, expert consultancy and premium products to the pipeline sector, and so he set out to fill the niche.

The services and products offered coupled with his unique expertise and personal touch has resulted in a growing list of major oil and gas clients across the Asia Pacific rim.

Proud to be associated with Zinfra Group and ActewAGL with the completion of the Fyshwick Natural Gas Trunk Receiving Station Our involvement included: Pinnacle Valve Solutions involvement with the Fyshwick TRS and Hume PRS project was the supply of the following equipment. i.

Address: Ph/Fax: Mobile: Email: Web:

Dafram Italy Class 600# & 900# Trunnion mounted ball valves in;

1.

Bolted body construction for above ground service and

2.

Fully welded construction for buried service ii.

Goodwin U.K Class 600# Dual plate non-return valves

iii.

Mercer USA Pressure relief valves.

PO Box 3226, Austral NSW 2179 61+ 02 9822 9226 0404 640 935 admin@pinnaclevalves.com.au john@pinnaclevalves.com.au www.pinnaclevalves.com.au

Australian Power & Energy News - Page 13

Victorian Energy and Resources Minister opens energy efficient co-generation plant in Altona

T

HE Hon Nicholas Kotsiras MP, Victorian Energy and Resources Minister, recently officially opened AGL Energy Limited’s (AGL) $45 million co-generation facility in Altona, which will provide an energy efficient supply of electricity and steam for Qenos Pty Limited (Qenos), Australia’s sole polyethylene manufacturer.

Built, owned and operated by AGL’s Energy Services business unit, a team focused on improving the energy productivity of its commercial and industrial customer base, the plant will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 100,000 tonnes per annum, equivalent to taking 25,000 cars off the road.

The embedded plant has a nominal capacity of 21 MW and will produce 171 GWh annually, which is enough electricity to power more than 30,000 households. This, coupled with a heat recovery steam generator, produces up to 88 tonnes of steam per hour*.

Michael Fraser, AGL Managing Director and CEO, said the facility was the largest investment in industrial or manufacturing cogeneration in more than 10 years.

“This project has taken advantage of AGL’s strong position in the gas industry. It has also utilised the skills of our dedicated team of 65 plus engineers and technicians in AGL Energy Services, who are devoted to our industrial and commercial customers’ energy efficiency,” Mr Fraser said.

Above: From left, Nicholas Kotsiras, Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Minister, Michael Fraser, AGL Managing Director and CEO, and Jonathan Clancy, Chief Executive Officer, Qenos unveil the plaque to officially open the state of the art cogeneration plant “AGL is well placed to assist the manufacturing industry, through its Energy Services business, to develop co-generation plants. These provide the biggest potential for manufacturers to reduce greenhouse gases and improve energy efficiency.”

Jonathan Clancy, Chief Executive Officer, Qenos said: “This project is a further demonstration of the cooperation achieved between industry, government, employees and the community to provide a secure and long term energy source, and improve the economics associated with the production of polyethylene.

This is an investment in real sustainability.”

Above: Nicholas Kotsiras, Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Minister, officially opened the new plant

In 2012, AGL and Qenos were jointly awarded the “Best Co-Generation Project” at the Energy Efficiency Council industry awards.

Left: Michael Fraser, AGL Managing Director and CEO, speaking at the opening of AGL’s new $45 million cogeneration facility in Altona

* Assumption: Households in Victoria use about 5MWh/year, meaning 171,000MWh powers 34,000 households.

Above: AGL’s $45 million co-generation plant at the Qenos facility in Altona

Above: Jonathan Clancy, Qenos Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Nicholas Kotsiras and Michael Fraser, AGL Managing Director and CEO in front of AGL’s $45 million co-generation plant at the Qenos facility in Altona Page 14 - Australian Power & Energy News

Project Background • AGL announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art co-generation facility for Qenos Pty Limited at its Altona plant in Victoria on 9 March 2011.

• The first sod of soil was turned on site on 27 September 2011, with practical project completion achieved on 27 February 2013.

• The project was officially opened by Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Nicholas Kotsiras on 24 May 2013.

• The co-generation facility, operated and maintained by AGL Energy Services, includes a Solar Titan 250 gas turbine package, with the latest combustion technology and heat recovery steam generator.

• The steam generator produces steam by recovering the exhaust heat generated by the gas turbine. The facility has the capacity to produce 21 MW of electricity, improving the customer’s carbon footprint and providing greater certainty of electricity supply, and generates up to 88 tonnes of steam per hour.

• The facility supplies up to 171 GWh of electricity to the site annually with the excess electricity being exported to the grid. All steam generation is used by the plant.

• The facility generates electricity at a lower greenhouse gas emissions intensity than the average emissions intensity of generators in the National Electricity Market.

Further savings are achieved because all waste heat from the gas turbine is used to produce the steam required by Qenos, saving the need to install separate gas fired boilers. With the facility supplying most of Qenos’s electricity needs, it is estimated that overall greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by approximately 100,000 tonnes per annum.

• AGL and Qenos have entered into an Operating and Maintenance Agreement for the next 15 years, with options to extend to 25 years. AGL will also become the sole supplier of natural gas to the site to operate the gas turbine and balance of plant.

The co-generation plant and balance of plant is estimated to consume approximately 4.5 petajoules of natural gas per annum.

Aurora launches much-needed new substation for Kingborough

Above: Aurora Energy CEO Dr Peter Davis and Kingborough Deputy Mayor Steve Wass turning the first sod of soil.

(Photo courtesy of Sandie Silva)

A

URORA Energy CEO Dr Peter Davis and Kingborough Deputy Mayor Steve Wass recently turned the first sod on Aurora’s new $8 million Kingborough Zone Substation development at the Summerleas Road roundabout in Kingston.

Dr Davis said substantial residential growth in the Kingborough municipality had placed increasing pressure on electrical infrastructure, which could lead to lengthy blackouts around Kingborough without the development of this new zone substation.

“The continuing growth of customer numbers in Kingborough has increased the potential for overloading issues on the local network, possibly leading to lengthy blackouts, but the new Kingborough Zone Substation will inject more than enough capacity to deal with growth in the region for many years to come,” Dr Davis said.

The Kingborough Zone Substation will cost

$8 million to build, has capacity for 4,500 new customer connections, and will substantially increase electrical reliability and security in the municipality. The substation site also includes extra space to allow for further upgrades as required.

Dr Davis welcomed the participation Mr Andrew Coles from Alstom Grid, a company that recently built the Howrah zone substation on Hobart’s eastern shore, and has been contracted

by Aurora for the design and construction of the Kingborough Zone Substation.

Dr Davis also said that as a precaution, two large mobile generators have been placed in the Kingborough region over winter this year to assist with any unexpected issues that may arise during peak demand periods on winter mornings and evenings. These generators will not be required once the new Kingborough Zone Substation is complete.

Aurora thanks departing Tamar Valley Power Station employees

E

MPLOYEES of Aurora Energy’s Tamar Valley Power Station were thanked today on the eve of the asset’s transfer to Hydro Tasmania.

Aurora Energy CEO Dr Peter Davis said the Station’s contribution to Tasmania’s energy security over the past four years could be attributed to the employees at the Bell Bay site as well as those in supporting roles in wholesale energy trading.

“The Tamar Valley Power Station is capable of producing about 14 per cent of Tasmania’s total electricity generation and it plays a critical role in our energy security by taking the pressure off our hydro storage dams,’’ Dr Davis said.

“I am particularly proud that Aurora Energy was able to complete the construction of this Station on time and well under its original $451m budget.

“We can all thank Station Manager Tony Ciffo and his team for their excellent safety record and

operational reliability since the commissioning in October 2009.

“Our employees who are transferring go with our best wishes and we are proud to see the Station handed over to Hydro Tasmania in such good shape.’’

The Tamar Valley Power Station is capable of producing 390MW of electricity, comprising three generating units – a 210MW Mitsubishi combined cycle unit, a 60MW Rolls Royce open cycle gas turbine and three 40MW Pratt and Whitney gas turbines. The Station is the largest consumer of gas transported into the State via the undersea Tasmanian Gas Pipeline from Victoria.

The transfer of the Tamar Valley Power Station to Hydro Tasmania is occurring as part of sweeping electricity industry reforms ahead of full retail electricity competition in about seven months time and the merger of Transend Networks with Aurora Energy’s electricity distribution activities in mid 2014.

Australian Power & Energy News - Page 15

Precipitator electrode program on track at AGL Loy Yang

SP AusNet tariff cuts businesses’ peak demand and costs SP AusNet’s peak demand tariff has successfully helped its large business customers contribute to a total annual peak demand reduction of 2.5 per cent across its electricity distribution network.

Above: A new electrode about to be placed into position on top of precipitator two

W

ORK to improve Unit One’s dust emission performance by replacing precipitator electrodes, continues on-time and on-budget in the station.

Replacement of electrodes in the unit’s ‘flow four’ electrostatic precipitator flow (EPF) began in April and is expected to be completed mid-August.

These works on ‘1-EPF-4’ form part of a much larger precipitator electrode replacement project on-site, which will eventually see electrodes in all EPFs on Units One and Two replaced.

Each unit has 12 EPFs (a total of 24 across the two units) and each takes four to five months to upgrade.

According to Project Manager, Travis McInnes, the replacement program is required because of a design fault in Units One and Two that causes the electrodes to break free and move around. This results in the electrodes touching and shorting out, which affects the precipitators’ dust emission performance.

Units Three and Four do not have this fault.

Travis said work on 1-EPF-4 was progressing smoothly, with brand new electrodes installed

by Lend Lease in all three zones.

“The focus now is on carefully adjusting the position of each electrode row to achieve the correct internal clearances,” Travis said.

“The alignments in zone one are complete, and the gas-tight roof has been replaced on the first two zones. The refurbishment of the precipitator transformer rectifiers is complete and they were returned to the site.”

Over the next financial year, precipitator electrodes will also be replaced on 1-EPF-1 and 2-EPF-5.

Consumption profile of the 181 businesses that had a 40 per cent plus reduction in peak demand

The new electrode is lifted up to Unit One

New CEO for Snowy Hydro

S

NOWY HYDRO Chairman Mr Bruce Hogan announced that Mr Paul Broad would be the new CEO of Snowy Hydro.

Mr Hogan said, “The process to find a new CEO has been a thorough one and all shareholders (NSW, Victorian and Commonwealth Governments) have now confirmed the Snowy Hydro Board’s recommendation to appoint Mr Paul Broad as the next CEO of the Company”.

Incoming CEO Mr Paul Broad said “It is an honour to be selected as the next CEO of Snowy Hydro. I am looking forward to leading a highly professional team as we continue to upgrade the Snowy Scheme, meet the challenges of a changing energy market and continue our support and involvement with our local communities and stakeholders”.

Mr Broad will commenced as CEO of Snowy Hydro on Tuesday 23rd July 2013.

Page 16 - Australian Power & Energy News

Introduced in 2010, the tariff provides a financial incentive to large businesses to cut their consumption on five days of high network demand between December and March to secure a reduced electricity demand charge for the next 12 months.

Nino Ficca, SP AusNet Managing Director, said this demand-side management tariff helps consumers manage their electricity bills and SP AusNet to efficiently manage network investment.

“SP AusNet is committed to the safe and reliable supply of electricity to customers, with an emphasis on efficient investment,” Mr Ficca said.

“Our unique critical peak demand tariff incentivises business customers – our largest users – to reduce their electricity demand at times of high network demand, typically the hottest summer days.

“This eases the demand pressure on the network, which gives our customers a more reliable electricity supply, reduces peak demand infrastructure investment and associated flowon costs to consumers,” he said.

SP AusNet’s results for the 2012/13 summer show that 1,333 of the 1,977 businesses participated, reducing peak demand by 42 megawatts, the annual peak demand equivalent of 8,500 homes.

“We were pleased with nearly seven out of 10 businesses reducing their demand on the nominated days,” Mr Ficca said.

“More pleasingly was that 181 businesses reduced their demand by more than 40 per cent and some businesses in agriculture, water supply and manufacturing totally cut their demand on all of the five days,” he said.

Under the program, SP AusNet nominates five peak demand days over the summer period on which eligible business customers that consume more than 160MWhs (megawatt hours) per annum can reduce consumption or seek alternative supplies.

SP AusNet averages the usage on those days to calculate their demand charges for the next 12 months.

“The Board of Snowy Hydro is extremely pleased to have a leader of the calibre of Paul Broad to succeed Terry Charlton. Under Terry Charlton’s leadership, Snowy Hydro has developed into a strong competitor and key participant in the National Electricity Market.

The Board is confident that Paul Broad is an excellent choice to build on this outstanding work and take Snowy Hydro forward into the future,” Mr Hogan added.

Outgoing CEO Terry Charlton said, “I welcome the appointment of Paul Broad. I have known him for many years within our industry and believe he will be an excellent CEO of the Company. I know his skills and experience are ideally suited in ensuring a successful Snowy Hydro well into the future”.

Mr Broad has previously been CEO of Infrastructure NSW, CEO of AAPT, Managing Director of PowerTel and head of Energy Australia, Sydney Water and Hunter Water.

Production commences from Otway Gas Project’s Geographe field

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RIGIN Energy Limited (Origin), on behalf of the VIC/L23 Joint Venture, recently announced the commencement of production from Otway Gas Project’s newly developed Geographe gas field in Bass Strait following commissioning and testing.

Otway Gas Project consists of two offshore gas fields, Geographe and Thylacine, and an onshore gas processing facility near Port Campbell in south-west Victoria.

Development of the Geographe gas field, which commenced following Joint Venture approval in October 2011, comprised development well drilling and installing subsea facilities to connect Geographe to Otway Gas Project’s existing subsea pipeline. In addition, the project’s onshore facility, Otway Gas Plant, was upgraded to accommodate a 50 per cent increase in its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage capacity.

Origin Chief Executive Officer Upstream, Mr Paul Zealand said, “Since 2007, Otway Gas Project has played an important role in meeting southern Australia’s demand for natural gas, LPG and condensate.

“The development of Geographe enables gas production to Otway Gas Plant to be maintained, thereby ensuring the project continues to make a major contribution to Victoria’s energy security. Production from Otway Gas Plant is equivalent to 22 per cent of Victoria’s domestic gas demand.

“The commencement of production from Geographe also supports Origin’s other energy investments in the region including the State’s largest gas-fired power station at Mortlake as well as our position as one of Victoria’s largest energy retailers,” Mr Zealand said.

The Geographe gas field is located in Victorian coastal waters 55 kilometres south of Port Campbell and 15 kilometres north of the Thylacine offshore platform.

North Shore Cable Upgrade Project

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USGRID is planning to install new 132,000 volt underground electricity cables along two routes: East Lindfield to Castle Cove and East Lindfield to Artarmon to supply power to our electricity network across the north shore.

Project need This project will replace existing oil filled cables which currently supply electricity to Sydney’s north shore so we can maintain a reliable electricity supply in the future. The

existing cables are around 40 years old and need to be retired before they become unreliable.

These cables are also required as part of Ausgrid’s work to connect our new/upgraded substations at North Sydney and Crows Nest to the electricity network.

Project status The project is currently in the final stage of planning with construction to start in late July 2013. Construction is due to be finished

by October 2014 with cable installation and permanent reinstatement of roads completed by mid 2015.

Botany Bay Cable Project

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USGRID has replaced 132,000 volt transmission cables between Earlwood and Matraville (Canterbury and Bunnerong subtransmission substations) with two new 132,000 Volt cables from Kurnell, including a submarine cable crossing of Botany Bay. The project also includes associated substation works at the Kurnell and Bunnerong substations.

The cables have now been laid with some remaining work at the substations to be completed.

The Botany Bay cable project is a key part of

Ausgrid’s plans to maintain a safe and reliable electricity supply to homes and businesses in the southern, eastern and inner suburbs of Sydney.

Substation works - Kurnell The new subtransmission substation at Kurnell has been completed. The remaining works at Kurnell under this project involve the relocation of the existing Ausgrid zone substation on the eastern side of Captain Cook Drive to within the subtranmission substation site opposite. The final stage of construction is now underway at the new Kurnell substation.

These works are due to be completed by 2015.

Botany Bay

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LMOST 30 per cent of Ausgrid’s electricity network is underground, connecting substations and customers via a web of cables that run under footpaths, roads and even waterways.

It means that poles and wires do not have to get in the way of traffic, pedestrians or buildings, particularly in built up city areas or where easements for overhead networks are too narrow, unsafe or heavily vegetated.

When our crews replace or install underground cables they first have to dig new trenches, often over long distances and install PVC conduits that will safely house the new cables.

The trenches are dug in small sections and when the conduits are laid they are buried with excavated material before the trench is covered with a temporary fill. This means motorists and pedestrians can use the area immediately after work is completed on each small section.

Once the entire cable conduit is installed, the new cables are pulled through. The cables are then connected to the electricity network or customers’ premises. Unfortunately, in some cases this work can take several months or longer.

The material used to cover the trenches is known as temporary reinstatement. It consists of a hot mix of soft black tar that sets hard enough for cars and pedestrians to safely use.

By using temporary reinstatement, our crews do not have to leave long open trenches in local neighbourhoods for considerable periods of time. It means that local streets and footpaths are returned to motorists and pedestrians straight after we complete a small section of work.

Ausgrid works with local councils and the Roads and Maritime Services to plan this underground cable work and in most cases they complete the permanent reinstatement work.

Each year Ausgrid pays local councils and the RMS to repave or resurface about 50 kilometres of footpaths and roads.

We inform a council when our cable work is complete and they schedule the permanent reinstatement with their local contractor as soon as possible.

Australian Power & Energy News - Page 17

New substation energised to boost Whyalla ElectraNet’s new Whyalla Central substation was energised on 25 June 2013, ensuring the continued supply of reliable and secure electricity transmission services to Whyalla. The new substation replaces the existing Whyalla Terminal substation, which was built in the early 1960s and was nearing the end of its operational life.

Construction on the substation began in May 2012 and the project was completed this month, on schedule to meet the requirements of the South Australian Electricity Transmission Code.

“The Whyalla Central substation plays a critical role in the supply of electricity to the area, including significant mining and industry loads,” said Mr Simon Emms, ElectraNet Executive Manager Network Services.

“As the Whyalla Terminal substation was approaching 50 years of constant service, building a new substation was the most economically sound option, as the costs to maintain an aged transmission asset will only continue to rise.

“The new substation will ensure reliable and secure electricity transmission services to the City of Whyalla, and also contribute towards meeting the electricity transmission demands of the area into the future,” Mr Emms said.

Located across the road from the Whyalla Industrial Estate on Arthur Glennie Drive, the new Whyalla Central substation is approximately three kilometres north of the town centre and one kilometer west of the existing Whyalla Terminal substation.

The existing Whyalla Terminal substation will remain operational, supplying load to the OneSteel plant.

Mine movement radar trial begins at AGL Loy yang A high-tech radar to monitor movement in the mine at Loy Yang was installed recently.

For the next three months the Movement Survey Radar (MSR) will scan the mine for the slightest movement of batters and ground, for stability purposes.

Infrastructure, Civil and Environmental (ICE) Manager, Paul Barrand said the aim of the trial was to determine the value of such a radar system to AGL Loy Yang.

“The MSR can detect movement of less than a millimetre within a 50-2500 metre range and produces precise radar maps that can be compared with other geo-referenced data”, said Paul.

“Any wall movement can be tracked against time, temperature and other factors, and the system can scan through fog, mist, light rain, and winds up to 80km/hour.”

When movement exceeds set limits, audiovisual alarms are activated providing: • a safer working environment through reduction of risk • improved productivity through knowledge of wall stability • peace of mind, when mining near a suspect mine slope.

The trailer mounted system incorporates a moving radar dish and will be monitored by geotechnical engineers from the ICE group.

RPS Group selected to undertake independent review on TransGrid TransGrid’s independent review into community stakeholder consultation and engagement activities has moved to the next stage with the appointment of RPS Group and Newgate Research.

With the selection made, the independent review will assess TransGrid’s processes and identify improvements that can be made.

The consultants will be reviewing four recent projects: • Far North NSW Project (Lismore to Dumaresq transmission line); • Holroyd and Rookwood substations and associated cable works • Manildra to Parkes transmission line; and • Stroud to Lansdowne/Taree transmission line.

The review will seek feedback via: • Focus groups; • In-depth face to face interviews; and • Telephone surveys.

In addition there will be an opportunity to make a written submission to the review.

“Focus groups will commence in late August, they’ll examine TransGrid’s processes, systems, communications, publications, issues tracking and management systems,” said Peter Devine, RPS Group’s Project Leader.

RPS Group will prepare a draft report for publication by September.

A public consultation on the draft report and recommendations will follow in October with a final report due in December of this year.

Background

Above: Richard Evans and Ryan Hansen from Rock Australia & Mining install the Movement Survey Radar in the mine Page 18 - Australian Power & Energy News

RPS Group is a community consultation and planning firm which specialises in public infrastructure and utilities. Its team has significant experience in major public

infrastructure projects such as transmission lines, substations, water and waste-water infrastructure, rail line and roads.

Newgate Research is a specialist market and social research firm that focuses on issues corporate, financial and sustainability research. Its team has particular experience conducting community research around major infrastructure projects.

TransGrid Managing Director, Peter McIntyre said that stakeholder engagement is a vital principle in sound planning and decisionmaking. Newgate Research consultants are members of the Australian Market and Social Research Society (AMSRS) and its senior researchers have Qualified Practicing Market Researcher (QPMR) status.

“This is a complex industry and seeks to ensure that our stakeholders are satisfied they have had the opportunity to be involved in the development of projects,” Mr McIntyre said.

TransGrid develops its electricity transmission network in NSW in response to growth in demand for electricity, to connect new sources of generation to the network (including renewable generation such as wind farms) and in conjunction with the ongoing replacement of assets at the end of their service lives.

TransGrid owns and manages one of the largest high-voltage transmission networks in Australia, almost 12,800 kilometres of transmission line, connecting generators distributors and major end-users in NSW and the ACT and has links to Queensland and Victoria, facilitating interstate energy trading.

TransGrid’s aim is to provide a safe, reliable and world-class electricity supply.

Power and Water Projects Clean up at Engineering Awards Night T

WO Power and Water Corporation (PWC) Projects were recognised for their excellence at the Engineering Awards held in Darwin recently.

The Archer Zone Substation won the People’s Choice Award, while the TKLN Renewable Energy Project won the Research, Development and Innovation Award, along with the Australian Solar Energy Award for Sustainability.

Minister for Essential Services Willem Westra van Holthe congratulated PWC and said he was extremely pleased both the projects had been recognised, as the benefits they would provide for the Territory would be huge.

“The Archer Zone Substation, near Palmerston, will support the forecast growth in electrical load from the city’s CBD and new suburbs to be built over the next five years,” Mr Westra van Holthe said.

The zone substation will step power down from 66,000 volt transmission from Channel Island and Weddell power stations to 11,000 volts for distribution into the suburbs of Mitchell, Johnson and Zuccoli and the central business district.

“It was estimated an extended outage of Palmerston zone substation could have cost the community in the order of $6 million a day,” he said.

“With this in mind PWC and GHD set about designing the future Archer Zone Substation.

This was based on providing additional power supply capacity to meet the continual load growth, secure the power supply to the Palmerston community and enable the growth of the new suburbs to ease housing demands.

“The effort of this team will provide Palmerston, its future suburbs and the surrounding rural areas with a secure power supply for now and the future,” Mr Westra van Holthe said.

The TLKN project has seen almost one megawatt of renewable energy capacity installed in the remote Indigenous communities of Ti Tree, Kalkarindju and Alpurrurulam.

Minister for Regional Development Alison Anderson said the three flat-plate solar photovoltaic systems provided up to 80 per cent of the communitites’ power needs during the day.

“This is estimated to save more than 440,000 litres of diesel and 1200 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, which is absolutely

Archer Zone Substation

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RCHER Zone Substation, near Palmerston, will support the forecast growth in electrical load from the city’s CBD and new suburbs to be built over the next five years.

The zone substation will step power down from 66,000 volt transmission from Channel Island and Weddell power stations to 11,000 volts for distribution into the suburbs of Mitchell, Johnson and Zuccoli and the central business district.

Civil construction was completed in late 2009 and electrical works including high

voltage switchyard equipment, protection and control panels and cabling completed in 2010.

Testing and commissioning was completed in 2011 and load is now being switched over to the new substation.

A new 66,000 volt transmission line from Archer Zone Substation to Hudson Creek Substation will supply electricity to Palmerston and support East Arm Port area as well as providing a secure supply route from the new Weddell Power Station to the greater Darwin region. Poles were installed in 2010 with conductors progressively connected thereafter.

Above: Arthur Zone Substation

remarkable,” she said.

The project is an advanced green energy project, due to the use of the large contribution that solar will make to the local electricity supply and the innovative solutions used to integrate solar with the diesel power stations at the communities.

“I congratulate again PWC for the work they have put in to these projects, to ensure the

Territory has the best possible services,” Mr Westra van Holthe said.

The TKLN Renewable Energy Project is now part of the National Engineering Excellence Awards in the Research, Development and Innovation category. The national awards will be announced in Canberra on Wednesday 20 November.

Three remote solar systems

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LMOST one megawatt of renewable energy capacity has been installed in the remote Indigenous communities of Ti Tree, Kalkarindju and Alpurrurulam.

The three flat-plate solar photovoltaic systems provide up to 80 per cent of the communities’ daily power needs.

Wind turbines have also been installed in Alpurrurulam and a new, high-efficiency diesel power station, with a sophisticated control system, has been built to integrate the renewable energy systems most effectively.

The showcase demonstrates the complementary nature of solar and wind systems to provide renewable energy around the clock.

These projects are estimated to save more than 440,000 litres of diesel and 1200 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

Power and Water has a 20-year power purchase agreement for the renewable energy produced by these systems with the owner Epuron, an Australian Renewable Energy Company.

Above: Lake Nash Wind and Solar Australian Power & Energy News - Page 19

Hydro Tasmania wins industry award for community engagement

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YDRO Tasmania has won national recognition for its focus on community engagement as part of the Musselroe Wind Farm project.

The 2013 Clean Energy Council Awards are hosted by the Clean Energy Council as part of Clean Energy Week – Australia’s largest industry-run event for the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. The awards recognise industry excellence in the areas of community engagement, innovation and media.

Hydro Tasmania won the Community Engagement Award.

Musselroe Wind Farm Project Director Andrew Hickman said the award was a credit to all staff across the business who had been involved in the Musselroe project.

“Right from the start of this project, our people have worked closely with communities in north-east Tasmania. Many members of the project team have lived and worked in the northeast region over the entire construction period and have become a real part of that community,” Mr Hickman said.

“Hydro Tasmania has engaged with local schools, tourism bodies, indigenous elders, and business groups to build the relationships that have resulted in genuine community ownership of this project.”

The Musselroe Wind Farm began generating into the Tasmanian grid at the end of April this year.

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the competition in every award category was tough, with many strong contenders vying for the honours, and that each winner had made an outstanding contribution to the industry.

“These awards are an important way to celebrate the many achievements across our industry at a time when local clean energy is generating tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment across the country,” Mr Green said.

“Each unique entrant has demonstrated that we are part of an innovative, dynamic and growing industry, with an important role to play in Australia’s energy future.”

More information, including the full list of winners and finalists of the 2013 Clean Energy Council Awards is available at cleanenergycouncil.org.au

Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy look to exit national metering businesses

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TATE-owned network businesses Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy today announced plans to investigate the sale of their national metering businesses to focus on core operations associated with the running of the NSW electricity network.

The announcement follows Essential Energy’s gradual withdrawal from the contestable metering market since 2011 after deciding not to renew contracts following the sale of its retail business.

Networks NSW Chief Executive Officer Vince Graham said that the proposal will not affect regulated metering and meter-reading services for homes and businesses across NSW. “These national contestable metering businesses are not part of the core, regulated electricity network in NSW,” Mr Graham said.

“Successfully competing in these commercial businesses was closely linked to the retail electricity businesses, which were sold by the former Labor Government in March 2011.”

Contestable metering involves providing electricity meters and remote meter reading services to large commercial businesses nationally.

Since the 1990s, Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy have competed with the private sector for large business customers and have a total of 33,000 metering sites in the contestable metering market in states including Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and NSW. “We no longer have a retail business and we don’t believe it’s our role to compete with the private sector in a commercial market in other states including Tasmania,” Mr Graham said.

“We need to focus our time and resources on providing a safe, reliable power supply and keeping electricity prices down for NSW – not on commercial ventures across Australia.

“To continue to compete effectively in this market, we would have to borrow more and invest more in these businesses - that’s not the best use of our resources.

Page 20 - Australian Power & Energy News

“In line with the NSW Government’s ongoing reform of the electricity distribution businesses, which has already identified $2.5 billion in unnecessary expenditure, the sale of the contestable metering businesses is another opportunity to remove further costs from the businesses and ensure a more efficient structure.”

Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy today briefed staff and unions about the proposal to test whether there is market interest in buying the contestable metering businesses.

Mr Graham said that the majority of employees working in contestable metering also performed roles in its regulated business and would still be needed even if the sale proceeds. Any affected award employees could choose to remain with the network businesses or request voluntary redundancy.

“Our priority is on consulting with our staff and keeping them informed at every stage of this proposal,” Mr Graham said.

The businesses will assess market interest in the national metering businesses but the transaction will not proceed unless the assessment confirms that the proposed sale represents value for money.

Mr Graham confirmed that in the meantime there will be no change for Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy’s contestable metering customers, with the network businesses continuing to meet all customer contract requirements and delivering their usual high level of service to contestable metering customers Essential Energy will not be affected by this proposal.