Third engine for Alice on the road

02 Jul 2010

The third new engine for Owen Springs Power Station departs Darwin on Sunday morning 4 July.

The convey transporting the engine will travel down the Stuart Highway from 8am and is expected to arrive in Alice Springs on Thursday 8 July.

Two 10.7MW duel fuel engines have been delivered to the site of the new power station in the past two months.

The first unit to arrive at Owen Springs has now been connected to its alternator, gas supply and electrical systems.

The second unit, delivered at the end of May, is also being connected and wired.

Commissioning of the units – and the power networks that connect them to Alice Springs town – is scheduled for July to September with construction contractor MAN Diesel.

Sixteen kilometres of overhead 66kV transmission line from Brewer Estate is complete and contractors are installing the underground portion of the line through town. They are currently working near the Gap.

The switchyard that will step power up to 66kV for transmission at Owen Springs is nearly complete and upgrades at Lovegrove Zone Substation to step power down to 22kV and 11kV for distribution in town are also well advanced.

Engine transport
As with the transport of the previous two engines, there will be some traffic interruptions. Please allow for this in travel plans and follow all police directions.

The truck is five metres wide and 70 metres long, with 216 wheels.

The truck is expected to travel along the Stuart Highway from Berrimah about 8am Sunday.

Due to the traffic changes near Palmerston, the truck will continue down Roystonea Avenue and along Temple Terrace back to the Stuart Highway.

Residents may experience some short duration power outages when the truck is in their area as some powerlines need to be lifted over or dropped and moved the 8.5 metre high load.

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