Australia’s largest transmission project, EnergyConnect, has reached a major milestone with completion of the first of four lines critical to enabling the sharing of renewable energy between three states.
Transgrid and its construction partner Elecnor Australia have finished construction of EnergyConnect’s Line 1—a new double-circuit 330kV transmission line stretching 135km from Buronga, in south-western NSW, to the South Australian border.
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Transgrid executive general manager of major projects Gordon Taylor said, “Completion of construction of the line from Buronga to the South Australian border is a major milestone for EnergyConnect, with some final minor works and testing to be carried out before energisation.
“We are getting on with the job of delivering this nation-critical transmission infrastructure to enable energy sharing between NSW, South Australia and Victoria for the first time. The interconnector will deliver cleaner, cheaper renewable energy to millions of customers and help achieve Australia’s emissions reduction targets.”
The construction effort by more than 450 workers has included:
- Construction of worker accommodation camps at Buronga and Renmark Road, equipment laydowns and access tracks
- The drilling and pouring of 1,366 concrete tower foundations
- The erection of 291 towers using 6,000 tonnes of steel
- The stringing of 1,900km of conductor cabling—the equivalent distance of driving from Sydney to Brisbane and back again.
Construction of one of the largest and most sophisticated substations in the Southern Hemisphere is also nearing completion at Buronga.
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Elecnor Australia project director Felipe Delgado Davara said, “I’m immensely proud of the progress and achievements we have accomplished and the way our teams have worked together to achieve this significant milestone of completing the first stage of the project.
“The collaboration with our exceptional civil works and electrical contractors, as well as the construction delivery partners, has been instrumental in advancing activities within the substation and overhead transmission line disciplines.”
