Solar farm powering Australian grocery stores
High-voltage infrastructure for a solar farm that is powering grocery stores around Australia.
Delivered during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, this project demonstrates our skill and experience in electricity infrastructure, as well as the ability of our team to adapt to different work requirements and uphold the highest safety standards.
Our customer
MYTILINEOS (now Melten Energy & Gas) is the largest private company active in the entire spectrum of energy, from the development, construction and operation of thermal units and RES projects to the design and construction of electricity infrastructure projects, retail supply of electricity and natural gas, supply and trading of natural gas.
Their objective
An upgrade of 6.5 kilometres of high-voltage overhead transmission line was required, while keeping the lights on to other customers, plus the delivery of a network switching station and private substation that met two different standards.
The solution
Yurika installed the high voltage connection assets including distribution lines, the switching station and substation. This included electrical cabling, telecommunications equipment, and the harmonic filter yard, eliminating unwanted harmonics to improve equipment performance and reduce energy costs.
To deliver on time and budget during the depths of COVID-19, Yurika adopted a flexible delivery model that fast-tracked purchasing and supply of goods to the site.
The modular switch room, for example, was built in Brisbane and transported to Junee. A geographical resourcing strategy saw several key personnel relocate to the region, while dozens of local jobs were also created.
The outcome
Yurika completed the project in August 2020 – on time and budget – and the multi-dimensional solution is delivering big dividends:
- regional growth in green energy
- 30MW, 96,000-panel solar panel solar farm on 80 hectares of land
- 6.5-kilometre upgrade of 66kV high-voltage overhead lines to dual fibre optic cable
- a three-way 66kV switching station that meets two sets of standards
- a 10-year power purchase agreement supplies Coles with renewable energy.
The 96,000 solar panels on the farm operate as a single-axis tracking system, following the sun during the day to maximise energy generation. The farm powers grocery stores around the country and has been designed with spare capacity as Australia’s energy mix evolves.
