CitiPower and Powercor Australia’s Metro and CBD Security of Supply Projects represent major investments in the company’s distribution network.
Together the projects are aimed at providing increased electrical capacity to meet a significant increase in energy demand in Melbourne’s Central Business District by upgrading the Bouverie-Queensberry Zone Substation (BQ) and increasing the level of supply security at CitiPower’s 66kV network level across the CBD by upgrading Victoria Market (VM) and Waratah Place (W) Zone Substations, and installing additional 66 kV sub-transmission links.
In simple terms, the project scope of works includes the design, supply, delivery and installation of a high voltage 66kV underground cable system, and Daly’s Constructions (Australia) has successfully delivered the first stage of the work (Metro 1) and are well into delivery of the second stage.
Daly’s contract was to manage a full turnkey project from survey and design right through to pre-commissioning of the circuits. This has included all aspects of the work required to provide:
• Detailed design report of the cable system including calculating circuit ratings determination of earthing, cross bonding and sheath voltage limiting arrangements;
• EMF baseline and EMF mitigation measures as required to meet the principles of prudent avoidance;
• Detailed native soil and backfill TR sampling and analysis;
• Trench profiles and depth spacing charts;
• Joint bay design, including design of a satisfactory system for mitigation of thermo-mechanical movement;
• Supply and delivery of approximately 35,000m of 1,600mm2 XLPE Cu conductor for Metro Stage 1 and a slightly greater quantity for Metro Stage 2. Provision of the power cable required a full and comprehensive system type test to ensure compliance with CitiPower’s very high acceptance technical standards;
• Supply and delivery of all accessories: link boxes, joints and earth systems;
• Detailed civil design ensuring constructability of circuits through the Melbourne CBD and inner northern suburbs;
• All work necessary to obtain approvals from the three metropolitan councils involved together with Vic Roads, Yarra Trams and all other affected stakeholders;
• All trenching, conduit installation, backfill and permanent reinstatement;
• All HDD works necessary along the route;
• Design and construction of more than 20 cable joint bays
• Installation of all power cables and performing cable jointing and terminating;
• Pre-commission testing;
• Provision of operating and maintenance manuals.
Powercor Network Services awarded the Prime Contract for Stage 1 of Metro and CBD Security of Supply to Daly’s Construction in 2010.
The Stage 1 scope of work included:
• BQ-VM No. 3 66 kV feeder: dual circuit connecting BQ Zone Substation (BQ) in Carlton to Victoria Market Zone Substation (VM) in North Melbourne;
• BTS-VM No. 1 66kV feeder: single circuit connecting Brunswick Terminal Station (BTS) in Brunswick to VM Zone Substation in North Melbourne;
• BTS-BQ No. 1 66kV feeder: single circuit connecting BTS in Brunswick to BQ in Carlton.
Metro and CBD Security of Supply – Stage 1 required approximately 13km of conduit and 66kV power cable with an approximate value of $28 million. That stage was completed successfully in 2012 within budget and on time.
The Prime Contract for Metro and CBD Security of Supply – Stage 2 was awarded to Daly’s in 2013. Metro and CBD Security of Supply – Stage 2 is also a full turnkey project and the scope of work requires provision of:
• BQ-VM No. 1 66kV feeder: single circuit connecting BQ Zone Substation in Carlton to VM Zone Substation in North Melbourne.
• BTS-BQ No.3 66kV feeder: single circuit connecting BTS in Brunswick to BQ in Carlton
• BQ-W No. 2 & BQ-W No. 3 66kV feeder: dual circuit connecting BQ Zone Substation in Carlton to W Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD.
The BQ-VM No. 1 feeder was installed and commissioned successfully in October 2013.
The BQ-W No.2 & BQ-W No.3 66kV feeder is currently under construction. Conduit installation was completed in May this year; cable installation is also completed and at the time of printing cable jointing was scheduled for completion by the end of June 2014.
The civil works for the BTS-BQ No. 3 feeder are well progressed and will continue into 2015. Cable installation is scheduled to commence in February 2015 with cable jointing and testing to commence in June 2015. Pre-commissioning testing is scheduled for September 2015 which will be one month ahead of the required end date in October 2015.
The Metro and CBD Security of Supply – Stage 2 will require approximately 13km of conduit and 66kV power cable with an approximate value of $30 million. Based on current progress Daly’s is very confident the project will be delivered successfully in 2015 within budget and on time.
Powercor Network Services Program Manager Kristofer Amato commended Daly’s Constructions. “I have found Daly’s Constructions to be very professional in their approach to managing these very large and complex projects; they have always been conscious of the importance of the work to CitiPower’s operating environment and needs and both Metro and CBD Security of Supply Stages 1 and 2 projects have been delivered safely and to a high quality standards within the CitiPower’s required timeframes and within agreed budgets.”
Daly’s Constructions has built a very strong association with CitiPower and Powercor since they were established 1994 and prior to that with the SECV when it was the Government-owned and sole generator, transmission and distribution organisation in the state. Daly’s is a family-owned business which commenced in 1971 when Mr Gabe Daly established the company to install conduit and cables in new estates throughout the growing and expanding metropolitan Melbourne.
The confidence in this relationship has been reinforced with the recent award of the Major Civil and Underground Cable Services Agreements commencing in July this year.
This effort was rewarded this year when Powercor Network Services was awarded the Prime Contract for the relocation of the 66kV sub transmission feeders for Waratah Place Zone Substation redevelopment project to Daly’s Constructions. Once again this contract is on a turnkey basis for design, supply and delivery of cables, joints and accessories required to do the job.
The scope of works includes:
• Relocation of the current fluid filled 66 kV feeders from VM Zone Substation in North Melbourne to W Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD to Heffernan Lane Zone Substation (WA) in Melbourne’s CBD;
• Cutting and extending the current fluid filled Flinders Ramsden (FR) Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD to W Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD onto the BQ-W No. 2 and No. 3 cables;
• Cutting and extending the current fluid filled McIlwraith Place (MP) Zone Substation to W Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD onto the BQ-W No. 2 and No. 3 cables;
• Cutting and capping of the Little Bourke (JA) Zone Substation to Waratah Place (W) Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD.
The FR, JA, MP, VM and WA Zone Substation 66kV cables are oil filled cables and the scope calls for the detailed design of the cable system, including modifications to the oil reticulation system. Daly’s will be sourcing all materials and managing all cable jointing works including pre-commissioning testing.
For the VM Zone Substation in North Melbourne to W Zone Substation 66kV circuit Daly’s will be performing two three core oil filled cable joints.
For the FR Zone Substation in Melbourne’s CBD to W Zone Substation and MP Zone Substation to W Zone Substation circuit Daly’s will be performing six single core 800mm2 oil filled cable to single core 1,600mm2 XLPE transition joints. This will be the first time oil to XLPE transition joints will be performed in Victoria for CitiPower and Powercor.
Daly’s Constructions is continually striving to increase their capability and the quality of service they offer their clients. They look forward to working together with CitiPower and Powercor to deliver these challenging projects and new projects into the future.
Contact directors Mark or Nathan Daly in Melbourne +61 (3) 9360 9485 and Malachy Daly in Brisbane +61 (7) 3907 0001.
You can also find more about Daly’s Constructions on www.daly.net.au
