New powerlines for Archer Zone Substation

06 Sep 2011

A new 66,000 volt transmission line connecting the Archer Zone Substation to the nearby Hudson Creek Zone Substation is currently being strung along Wishart and Tivendale Roads across Tiger Brennan Drive in Darwin.

Power and Water Corporation General Manager Power Networks Bertram Birk has confirmed that commissioning is almost complete for the new zone substation in Archer and powerlines supporting the power are being erected now.

"The newly constructed Archer Zone Substation, located near Palmerston on the outskirts of Darwin, will feed the electricity out from the Weddell Power Station," said Mr Birk.

"This will support the increasing demand for electricity for the Top End in Palmerston and East Arm Port areas.

"It will also provide distribution of power into the new suburbs of Mitchell, Johnson and Zuccoli as well as the expanding central business district of Palmerston," he said.

Palmerston is the second largest city in the Territory and this zone substation will support the forecast growth in electrical load from the city's central business district and new suburbs to be built over the next five years.

A second 66,000 volt transmission line has been installed in tandem to provide a secure supply route from the new Weddell Power Station to the greater Darwin region for future use.

Both civil construction of Archer Zone Substation and electrical works including high voltage switchyard equipment, protection and control panels and cabling is complete.

Testing and commissioning of the $23.6 million substation is underway, with the facility on schedule to become fully operational by the end 2011.

All the transmission lines and supporting infrastructure has been built to cyclone code category 5.

Contact: Media Manager

Phone: Media enquiries phone (08) 8985 8481