New powerline for remote community

22 Aug 2011

Construction of the 37km powerline to connect to the more efficient power station in the nearby community of Arlparra is complete and commissioning of the new infrastructure was successful.

The local diesel power station at Ampilatwatja, located 325km north of Alice Springs, has been decommissioned.

Power and Water’s Remote Operations General Manager Darryl Day said the project had a number of benefits besides ensuring a more secure power supply and removing power station noise from the Ampilatwatja community.

"The Arlparra power station offers more efficient generation and there will be a reduction in greenhouse emissions and operating costs with the decommissioning of the smaller power station," he said.

"It will save about 115 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year and reduce road maintenance costs on the last 70km of unsealed road to Ampilatwatja as fuel will only need to be trucked as far as Arlparra.

"This is a great long-term solution to supplying both communities with electricity."

Altogether 205 power poles were erected and it took around five weeks for the new powerlines to be strung in place.

Extending the Arlparra electricity grid also allows for connection by other customers who would previously have relied on private generation sources.

Territory company MG Electrical were awarded the $2.3 million project, which is jointly funded under the Northern Territory Government’s Indigenous Essential Services Capital Works and Asset Replacement programs and is part of Power and Water’s Energy Source Strategy for Northern Territory Growth Towns and Remote Indigenous Communities - Towards 2020.

Power and Water has already constructed similar connections for Jilkminggan, Rittarangu, Wallace Rockhole and Yuelamu, decommissioning local power stations.

Other initiatives under the Energy Source Strategy include building a new gas power station at Wadeye and solar power stations at Ti Tree, Kalkirindgi and Lake Nash.

Dean Connochie, MG Electrical at Ampilatwatja