Bathurst New 11kV Switchroom and Associated Civil Work

Project Overview

Bathurst Zone Substation is the main distribution substation for the Bathurst CBD area.  It is served by two incoming 66kV feeders from Essential Energy’s Raglan 132/66kV substation and one from Transgrid’s 132/66kV Panorama Substation.

Essential Energy replaced the existing 11kV switchgear with a new purposefully built transportable switchroom that was established adjacent to the existing brick building.

• Design/fabrication/erection of the switchroom building
• External feeder conduits
• Associated concrete foundation
• Supplied seven erect pre-cast blast walls
• Perimeter security fencing

Challenges

• Operated within a live zone substation
• Undocumented live underground services
• Undocumented abandoned structures
• Crossed a major CBD feeder road
• Road reserve congested with services including major gas lines
• Tight time frame

Successes

• No damage to underground services
• Finished ahead of schedule
• Coordinated outages and notification periods without impacting the works
• Maintained physical security
• Developed mutually beneficial working relationships with new suppliers in a new town with a new client