nbn has launched the Sky Muster II, its second broadband satellite, which will provide additional data capacity to around 400,000 Australian homes and businesses in regional and remote Australia. The satellite was launched 36,000km into space from the French Guiana Space Station in South America. nbn CEO, Bill Morrow said, “Today’s successful launch of Sky Muster II marks the next […]
Features
Major VIC water grid upgrade begins
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Condition Assessment, Features, News, Pipelines, Projects, Water 0Works have begun on an upgrade to an important section of the South West Loddon water supply project at Korong Vale in north western Victoria, which will include a pump station, storage tank and new pipeline to improve the state’s water grid. The Victorian Government is investing $40 million towards the $80.6 million project which will secure water supply to […]
What really happened during the South Australian blackout?
Lauren Cella Condition Assessment, Demand management, Electricity, Features, News, Powerlines, Renewable Energy, Safety and Training, Sustainability 0In its preliminary report on the state-wide blackout in South Australia (referred to as a Black System), the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has determined the cause to be solely extreme weather and not the energy generation mix. While the storm triggered the blackout, the AEMO is now conducting an investigation into how each part of the electricity system responded. The […]
Natural gas has played a critical role in the restoration of power to South Australia’s homes and businesses after the state’s blackout, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) preliminary report. APPEA Chief Executive, Dr Malcolm Roberts, said while the blackout had been triggered by a severe storm, the AEMO report made it clear gas-fired generation, along with the […]
New technology to help sewer corrosion
Lauren Cella Asset management, Corrosion, Features, Maintenance, News, Pipelines, Projects, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0The University of Queensland (UQ) has developed a technology to help control corrosion in sewers, as well as manage sewer odour. Researchers from the UQ Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC) developed the technology which uses free nitrous acid to remove biofilms that coat to the inner surfaces of sewer mains. Lead researcher and AWMC Director, Professor Zhiguo Yuan, said the […]
Seqwater is upgrading South East Queensland’s Somerset Dam to improve safety and mitigate flood risk prior to the next wet season. The upgrade is part of the Seqwater’s Dam Improvement Program and will involve constructing a parapet or wave wall on the dam’s breezeway to increase its flood mitigation capacity and safety. It will involve filling in the bays (gaps) […]
nbn will install a new technology, Fibre-to-the-Distribution-Point (FTTdp), also known as Fibre-to-the-curb, in up to 700,000 premises across Australia. nbn said FTTdp would be considered for deployment to select premises that had previously been ear-marked for either Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) or Hybrid-Fibre Coaxial (HFC) in areas served solely by the Optus HFC network. nbn Chief Network Engineering Officer, Peter Ryan, said, […]
Severe storm causes statewide power blackout in SA
Lauren Cella Electricity, Features, Maintenance, News, Powerlines, Safety and Training 0A severe storm in South Australia damaged the state’s power network on 28 September 2016 and left the entire state without power for over eight hours. The statewide blackout has now raised concerns over South Australia’s reliance on renewables. The storm damaged parts of the transmission network and resulted in a state-wide blackout at approximately 3:45pm 28 September 2016. Three […]
Fibre-to-the node reaches 12 month milestone
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Company news, Features, News, Projects, Telecommunications 0nbn’s fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) service is now available to almost three quarters of a million premises, 12 months after the service was commercially launched. Almost a quarter of a million premises are also now activated on the NBN via FTTN. The figures, announced by nbn, show 745,000 FTTN premises are now ready for service with 235,00 activated. Including figures announced for […]
Competition in the retail gas market is set to increase for households and small businesses in New South Wales following the announcement that the NSW Government will deregulate prices from 1 July 2017. Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, Anthony Roberts, made the announcement at a recent Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) Energy Series event in Sydney. Mr […]
Terrigal lagoon sewage rehabilitation
Lauren Cella Features, Maintenance, News, Pipelines, Projects, Pumps, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Two sewage mains running underneath the Terrigal Lagoon in the Central Coast region of New South Wales will be rehabilitated as part of the Central Coast Council’s sewage pump station upgrade program to improve operations. The rehabilitation works will include placing a plastic liner insider each of the steel pipes and the removal of the temporary polyethylene pipe that was […]
Collaboration to reduce carbon emissions
Lauren Cella Company news, Electricity, Features, News, Sustainability 0Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio witnessed the signing of a Letter of Interest from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to Monash University in support of Monash’s Transformative Energy Initiative – which will include new energy technologies and smart microgrids. The Victorian Government is currently working with CEFC and Monash University to provide the renewable energy sector with […]
Brisbane pipeline replacement reaches milestone
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Features, News, Pipelines, Projects, Water 0A Seqwater pipeline upgrade in north-west Brisbane has reached a construction milestone with more than 720m of new pipeline installed and ready to be connected. The $4.2 million upgrade began in July 2016 and involves the replacement of one of the oldest pipelines in the SEQ Water Grid, with two new sections of underground pipeline aiming to improve the reliability […]
nbn exceeds targets
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Company news, Features, News, Projects, Telecommunications 0nbn’s 2015-2016 Annual Report has reported the company has exceeded all key targets for the financial year by doubling the number of premises able to connect to the NBN, as well as improving partnerships with delivery partners and retail service providers. The results were released as part of the nbn Annual Report 2015-2016 to Parliament outlining the operational and financial […]
Irrigation infrastructure pilot program begins
Lauren Cella Demand management, Features, Irrigation, News, Projects, Stakeholder Engagement, Water 0The first pilot for the new Commonwealth On-Farm Further Irrigation Efficiency program (COFFIE) has begun in South Australia to support upgrades to irrigation infrastructure. Assistant Secretary in the Water Division of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Amy Fox, said the COFFIE program was the first in the next generation of Australian Government programs to support improvements in irrigation […]
Northern Territory power network upgrade
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Electricity, Features, Maintenance, News, Projects 0Power and Water Corporation has completed an upgrade of the Darwin to Katherine electricity network to improve its reliability. The project involved the replacement of six critical 132kV circuit breakers, the installation of a new 132kV plant at Hudson Creek as well as the upgrade of secondary protection systems. Power Networks’ General Manager John Greenwood said the team successfully completed […]
Wastewater management has cleaned up Sydney beaches
Lauren Cella Features, News, Projects, Sustainability, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0A report by economics advisory firm Deloitte Access Economics has found Sydney’s Deepwater Ocean Outfall program has reduced pollution from primary sewage in the region. The program, which was introduced 25 years ago, aims to reduce the amount of pollution on beaches caused by the discharge of primary sewage from cliff-face outfalls at North Head, Bondi and Malabar sewage treatment […]
nbn CEO Bill Morrow has announced the NBN is on track to help build an Australian digital marketplace that will create economic opportunities. In a speech at an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce event, Mr Morrow said Australia is expected to be the first country of its size to make broadband access universal upon by 2020. “Our generation – GenNBN – will […]
Geraldton wastewater upgrades continue
Lauren Cella Features, News, Projects, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Improvements to the wastewater system in the Mid-West Western Australian town of Geraldton are continuing, with Water Corporation due to begin an upgrade of the town’s wastewater treatment plant later in 2016. The upgrade will involve construction of four new infiltration ponds and refurbishment of the existing ponds. Currently the plant treats around two million litres of wastewater each day, and the upgrade […]
New Origin Energy CEO
Lauren Cella Company news, Electricity, Features, News, People and appointments 0Origin Energy has selected its new CEO and Managing Director who will take over when current CEO Grant King retires at the end of October 2016. Frank Calabria, currently CEO of Origin’s Energy Markets Business, will be appointed the new CEO immediately after Origin’s Annual General Meeting on October 19, 2016. Origin Chairman Gordon Cairns said the board has been […]
Connections Project moves forward
Lauren Cella Features, Irrigation, News, Stakeholder Engagement, Water 0The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments have approved the reset of the $2 billion Connections Project following a decision on the best way to secure the future of irrigated agriculture in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District (MGID). The Connections Project aims to save 429GL of water and improve the Goulburn Murray district’s agricultural productivity and efficiency. It is estimated about 4150km […]
The South Australian Government has announced it will commit $24 million towards a program to give companies incentive to extract more gas to supply to the local market. The incentive aims to increase the supply of gas into the energy market – with South Australian generators, industry and households having first offering – and provide a medium-term response to the need […]
Energy Queensland’s new CEO
Lauren Cella Company news, Electricity, Features, News, People and appointments 0The recently established power company, Energy Queensland, has appointed a permanent CEO who will commence the role from 31 October 2016. David Smales will take on the position as Energy Queensland’s new CEO, taking over from Interim CEO Terry Effeney. Energy Queensland was established following a merger between Energex and Ergon at the end of June 2016. Treasurer Curtis Pitt […]
Water Corporation’s new wastewater scheme
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Features, News, Projects, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Water Corporation will deliver a new Septic Tank Effluent Disposal (STED) scheme to businesses and residents in Kukerin in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region as part of the State Government’s $50 million Infill Sewerage Program. The Western Australian Government is investing $4.8 million in the STED scheme which aims to reduce potential health and environmental impacts linked to the use of […]
APA to construct new gas pipeline
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Company news, Features, Gas, News, Pipelines, Projects 0APA Group will construct a new gas transmission pipeline between its Wallumbilla Hub and the Australia Pacific LNG Pipeline at Reedy Creek in Queensland as part of an expansion to its East Coast Gas Grid. The Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline will expand APA’S 7,500 kilometre East Coast Grid by a further 50km, providing a key link to the Wallumbilla Gas Hub for […]
ACCC raises NBN competition concerns
Lauren Cella Civil Construction, Features, News, Telecommunications 0The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has flagged potential competition issues in agreements between nbn and Telstra regarding Telstra’s role in building sections of the NBN. In a September 2016 report, the ACCC outlined its concerns that the agreements may give Telstra a “head start” in connecting customers to NBN HFC broadband services, as well as preferential service activation […]
The winners of the IXOM Victorian Water Taste Test and the Victorian Operator of the Year have been announced at the Water Industry Operators Association (WIOA) Conference and Exhibition in Bendigo. The event, which took place between 31 August and 1 September 2016, named water from North East Water’s Myrtleford treatment plant as the best tasting water in Victoria, and selected Rylee […]
Gas groups slam Victoria’s new fraccing ban
Lauren Cella Coal seam gas, Features, Gas, News, Policy 0Gas organisations have slammed the Victorian Government’s decision to introduce legislation banning fraccing in the state, saying it will impact future gas supply. The Victorian Government announced plans to ban fraccing, effectively prohibiting any onshore unconventional development in the state. The permanent legislative ban, to be introduced to Parliament later in 2016, is part of the government response to the […]
Goulburn Murray Water appoints new chair
Lauren Cella Company news, Features, News, People and appointments, Water 0An experienced executive and water industry board member has been appointed Goulburn Murray Water’s (GMW) new chair following the announcement that long-serving board member Sarah Scales is stepping down. Joanne Anderson has been appointed Goulburn Murray Water’s (GMW) new chair. Ms Scales – who was appointed GMW’s director in May 2011 and chair in September 2014 – has chosen to step down from […]
Essential Energy to donate solar panels to Vanuatu
Lauren Cella Electricity, Features, News, Projects, Solar 0New South Wales Energy company Essential Energy will donate surplus solar panels to villages in Vanuatu to supply lighting to people who were affected by Cyclone Pam in 2015. The 700 photo-voltaic (PV) modules from Essential Energy’s small-scale demonstration solar farm in Queanbeyan will be donated to the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) for use in its overseas volunteer aid work. The […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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