TransGrid commenced construction on a major redevelopment of its Beaconsfield West substation in Alexandria, NSW, in April.
Commissioned in 1979 as the first 330 kV substation in the Sydney inner-metropolitan area, the Beaconsfield West substation is a vital component of the state’s transmission network.
“Beaconsfield West is one of TransGrid’s two major substations in the inner Sydney area and its redevelopment and upgrade is an important step in maintaining the reliability of inner-Sydney’s power supply,” TransGrid general manager of capital program delivery, Chris Fitzgerald said.
“The project involves upgrading high voltage equipment in the substation, the construction of new buildings and the installation of a third power transformer at the site,” he said.
“These works will increase the capacity of the substation by 50 per cent, giving the substation the capability to supply the equivalent of around half a million average homes.
“The refurbishment of the substation’s equipment and the installation of new infrastructure on site will assist TransGrid in providing a reliable electricity supply to Sydney’s CBD and inner metropolitan area into the future.”
Works for the first stage of the upgrade are scheduled for completion in November 2012.