The contract works entail the provision and installation of five substation packages, power distribution, communications backbone cabling and electrical equipment to the operations industrial area (OIA) and the new punch longwall operations.

The substation packages include the design, supply, delivery and installation of a 66/11kV substation for the operation’s highwall, two 11/.433kV fixed substations for the OIA and vent fan, and two 11/.433kV skid based transportable substations for maingates one and two.

Switchrooms will be custom-designed by i.Power Solutions with standard features including PLC and operator interface as well as optical fibre and copper communications for interaction with the plant-wide monitoring and control systems. All rooms will feature an Argonite fire detection and suppression system.

“The substation packages will be designed, manufactured and commissioned at i.Power Solutions’ corporate office and manufacturing facility in Brisbane with a dedicated integrated project team monitoring work from the design phase, through to production and testing prior to shipment,” i.Power said.

All site electrical works including site excavations, footing preparation and placement of raised and transportable switchrooms will be completed on site by i.Power Solutions’ Mackay-based Site Services Group.

Other electrical works to be undertaken under the terms of the contract include the supply and installation of substation earthing and lightning earth systems; supply, installation and commissioning of vent fans (including provision of controls and instrumentation); installation of fibre optic and copper telephone cables; and development of remote access to the site’s gas monitoring system from both the OIA and Southern Underground control rooms.

Based in Brisbane, i.Power Solutions provides engineering, contracting and project management services. Areas of operation include electrical engineering; MV & LV switchgear; mining substations; switchrooms; automation and control; SCADA; information systems; site services and turnkey projects.