The pre-fabricated switch room and control building for the 400-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has been lifted into place, after a 1,500-kilometre journey from South Australia.
The facilities will play an essential role in the battery project, by helping to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment on site and manage energy flows between the BESS and the electrical transformer and switching station.
The 21m-long building was assembled in Adelaide and transported aboard a six-axle trailer, before two massive cranes worked in unison to lift and lower the switch room into its final position in the switch yard.
Delivery and installation of the 33-kilovolt switch room was a major collaboration between its manufacturer, Lai Switchyards Australia, our contractor constructing the switch yard, EPEC, and ACEN Australia.
It will now be fitted out before final commissioning.
The switch room’s arrival follows last month’s delivery of the 171-tonne BESS transformer, which attracted a large crowd to watch its 18-axle, 60m-long convoy travel through Uralla at the end of a 1,000km journey from Queensland.
Site works are continuing for the BESS before electrical cabling and the battery systems arrive on site.