Gin Gin’s ageing substation is to be revitalised as it hits its half-century, with work on a three-year rebuild now underway.
Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the $22.8 million project would allow the 47-year-old substation to serve the region for up to five more decades.
“Powerlink crews and contractors will carry out the work, which will support up to 25 jobs over three years,” Dr Lynham said.
“Powerlink will stage the work over the next three years to minimise impact to the network and customers and maintain reliable energy supply to communities and industry in Bundaberg and areas as far south as Childers, north to Granite Creek and Agnes Waters, and as far west as Gayndah.
"Reliable supply is critical to support economic growth across the region.
“This high voltage substation has served the region for almost 50 years and with the rebuild work it will continue to serve Queenslanders well into the future.”
The high voltage Gin Gin substation project is 70 kilometres from Bundaberg. The rebuild will replace the substation’s 275kV and 132kV switchyard primary equipment, and reinforce gantry footings.
Powerlink Chief Executive Merryn York said assessments of the substation’s primary equipment had shown it was nearing the end of its technical service life.
“This rebuild will not only ensure the ongoing reliability of the region’s power supply but prepare the facility to meet future energy needs of the community and industry, particularly with more renewables connecting into the network,” Ms York said.
In a first for Powerlink, micropiling of gantry footings will take place within an existing substation – a technique that effectively replaces the foundations of the structures holding the power lines above the equipment inside the substation.
“Our strong focus on planning, design and managing possible impacts to the network means we are continually looking at ways we can better deliver our work in a safe, reliable and cost efficient manner, connecting customers to the energy they need as part of providing electricity to almost four million people,” Ms York said.
“Once our specialist crews have finished the micropiling of the gantry footings we’ll replace the 275kV and 132kV switchyard primary equipment.”
Work is expected to be completed late 2020, weather permitting.