Barker Inlet Power Station

“Enerven worked collaboratively with ElectraNet on this project to ensure their custom requirements for Gas Insulated Switchgear were met and to the highest standards.

The customer 

ElectraNet delivers safe, affordable and reliable solutions to power South Australian homes and businesses. Their transmission network is a crucial part of the electricity supply chain and is used to safely deliver electricity throughout South Australia including regional and remote areas. ElectraNet specialise in asset and project management and their clients include SA Power Networks, Enerven and large directly connected clients.

The opportunity 

The Barker Inlet Power Station will have a generating capacity of 210MW delivered through twelve (12) ‘reciprocating engines connected to South Australia’s electricity network. The new power station is being constructed by AGL and will ultimately replace two of the old Torrens Island A generating units at their AGL’s Torrens Island Power Station.

The dual-fuel reciprocating engines shall run primarily on natural gas, but are capable of running on diesel fuel if required. ElectraNet are working on agreements with AGL to construct the connection substation that will connect the power station to the grid. As part of this process, ElectraNet have engaged Enerven as their Design and Construct contractor for the 275kV grid connection substation.

The solution 

What makes this substation unique, is it incorporates Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS). GIS equipment significantly reduces the footprint that standard Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS) requires, but is more complex to assemble than standard AIS equipment. Space is limited on Torrens Island, hence the decision by ElectraNet to install GIS.

Enerven selected Siemens Australia to manufacture the GIS, which will be sourced from Siemen’s GIS manufacturing plant in Aurangabad, India. Once manufactured, the GIS shall be shipped to Australia in sections and then unpacked and assembled on site. In this case Enerven shall assemble the GIS equipment under supervision of a Siemens technician. This shall effect cost savings that Enerven can pass on to ElectraNet and up-skilling of Enerven substation erection crews is an additional benefit of this arrangement.

ElectraNet had very specific bespoke requirements for the GIS equipment and Enerven have worked collaboratively with ElectraNet to ensure understanding of their requirements so that they can be met and to the highest standards.

This resulted in Enerven engineers making numerous trips to India to work together with Siemens to implement the requirements at manufacturing stage. A true partnering arrangement between client and supplier with a successful project and satisfied end client as the ultimate goal.