MAMMOTH ISLAND WORK DAY UPGRADE GOES OFF WITH HARDLY A HITCH
Energex pulled off a brilliant island upgrade of ovehead power cables on our SMB Islands in late August.
The large Energex team of more than 70 workers was tasked with replacing the 11,000-volt bare overhead network on Russell, Macleay, Lamb, and Karragarra islands with covered conductors (covered cables)
It was a massive and ambitious goal set for just one day.
Given the heavily-wooded environment of the islands, the insulated powerlines were necessary to minimise outages caused by high winds and vegetation, particularly during the upcoming summer storm season.
The insulated lines are far more resilient than the older bare power cables that were in so many areas of the islands.
Because of the size of the attempted one-day workload, of day of military precision was required.
Reaching our Islands required the necessary 40-minute barge ride across the bay.
However, this required coordinating the transport of 20 heavy trucks, including Elevated Work Platforms, generators, specialised machinery, tonnes of conductor, replacement poles, and numerous light support vehicles - along with nearly 70 staff from six different mainland depots.
Most of the staff required travelled by passenger ferry, to further complicate the procedure.
As a result, a ‘routine job’ turned into a highly complex military-style operation.
Adding to the challenge, replacing the electrical backbone of these four isolated island communities meant that no part of the network could provide backup power.
Consequently, an all-day outage affecting more than 3200 homes and businesses was necessary.
The outages were worst for Macleay, Karragarra and Lamb Islands. Russell Island only required partial outages, thanks to previous works already carried out.
To minimise community impact, extensive communication was required, including mail, flyers, posters, and face-to-face visits, as well as communications amongst all the Energex teams.
Where feasible, temporary generation was provided to essential services such as small shopping precincts and the local schools.
Despite the planned outage from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., all the Energex crews successfully restored power to all affected properties with three minutes to spare, before returning to the mainland.
The accomplishment underscores the expertise and dedication of the technical staff and project coordinators involved in the complex exercise; making large-scale upgrades within tight timeframes possible.
• Some of the Energex teams leaving the islands after an epic day.
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