150MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Industry: Earthworks For Mining Industry

Client: Engie (Hazelwood Mine)

EPC Contractor: Fluence Energy

Approx. $12M value
In excess of 48,000 hours worked
Project peak was 56 electrical/ICT personnel
Eight project management, supervision, QA, OHS, technical and admin support
Zero injuries recorded.

Scope of Work

Procurement, construction, installation, and testing of 150MW/MWH BESS 220/33KV Substation and electrical and SCADA works on BESS’s 1, 2 and 3 including;

• 220/33KV switchyard construction including installation of C/B’s, steel framework, gantry, harp string droppers, earthing, HV terminations and primary/secondary terminations of the transformer.
• Installation and termination of 3 x HV Kiosks, 9 x HV RMU’s, 30 x 33kV/660V/415V Transformers, 57 x Inverters, 30 x Telecommunication racks, 3 x Fire Panels, 1 x Control building and all site light and power.
• Installation and termination of all HV, LV and ELV cables
• Installation and termination of primary/secondary connections to transformers, inverters, and battery cubes, including installation and termination of all intercube connections
• Installation of current transformers (CT’s)
• Installation, termination and testing of fibre optic cabling and communications equipment across the switchyard and whole site.
• Coolant supply and filling of 342 cube cooling systems with Ethylene Glycol coolant

Additional support provided

• In addition to the assigned scope of work O&M further supported the project by delivering the following services, functions, and third-party supply services;
• Initial inspection, QA checking and inventory documenting of delivered battery cubes and ancillary equipment and components
• Electrical engineering and OHSE support including provision of technical based suggestions by O&M site engineering and supervision for possible solutions to plant design issues that occurred
• Provided document control of all IFC drawings and other associated technical documents
• Fabrication of metal covers for inverter cabling to accommodate a design change
• Painting for cubes where transit damage had occurred
• Full Quality Assurance system and documentation management and control
• Drafting support including Auto Cad mark-up of drawings to the EPC Engineer for changes and modifications
• Short notice on demand labour increases to meet program delays caused by EPC contractor issues

Project Challenges

For many reasons that were beyond the control of O&M, this project presented several challenges that required O&M to continually flex and adjust its service delivery in order to work collaboratively with the EPC contractor to overcome issues and minimise impact of project program. These challenges included;

• An abnormal and unseasonal number of delays due to inclement (wet) weather
• Changes to the plant design and associated scope changes and delay in supply of free issued materials
• Working flexibly with other major subcontractors (civil and craneage) around program changes
• Frequent requirement to change resource levels with very short notice
• Managing resourcing on occasions where COVID protocols came into play at direction of EPC contractor.

Project Outcomes

1. Excellent OHS performance with in excess of 48,000 manhours worked and zero injuries recorded.
2. Insignificant punch list at project completion that was recognised by EPC representative as “best of any project I have worked on”.
3. All Certificates of Electrical Safety signed off with no issues identified for O&M works.
4. Excellent relationships established with EPC Engineer and Commissioning team, Project Owner, and Owners Engineer representative, positive feedback from all re O&M performance.
5. Complimentary feedback from Project Owner on O&M input to their “lessons learned” process.