All the development which has been going on, and proposed for the future, in the Molonglo Valley has called for more power. To provide this power, Evoenergy is constructing a large new electricity substation. It has taken some time for the concept of a substation on the north-east corner of William Hovell Drive to morph from the ‘Whitlam substation’ into the ‘Molonglo substation’ but the power related activities between William Hovell and the Molonglo River are now one big system encompassing the substation on Coulter Drive and the underground cabling that is taking place on the western edge of the Arboretum.
Evoenergy have supplied the following detailed information regarding the impact on the equestrian community. To try to simply this information and provide some sort of timeline that makes sense ACTEA has created this table which Evoenergy has confirmed is an accurate summary of their proposed activities.
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1/ 132kV overhead to underground relocation project, civil works. DA201936352.
This project is initiated by the Suburban Land Agency and is delivered by their civil contractor Wodens. The scope of works near Coulter Drive and along William Hovell Drive is to install conduits for the transmission cables, build jointing pits, extend the access track and also drill to install bore pipes under William Hovell Drive. Wodens are now working on both sides of the future zone substation site, along William Hovell Drive and traversing Coulter Drive.
The civil contractor will connect the horse trail to the access track coming from the Cook Horse Paddock and relocate fences (along the surveyed boundary) and (reinstate) cavaletti appropriately. Civil works are expected to be completed by December 2022.
2/ 132kV overhead to underground relocation project, cable hauling, jointing and removal of the overhead transmission towers. DA201936352.
Upon completion of civil works described above, Evoenergy’ s contractor Zinfra will attend the future Molonglo Zone Substation area to set up drums and haul 132kV cables. We are expecting traffic along the access track with semi-trailers bringing 18t cable drums with the use of a 95T crane. These works are expected to start mid-October and be completed by December.
These activities will then shift to other sections of the underground cable route such as Boundary road, River road (Arboretum) and along the Molonglo River. Again, semi-trailers bringing 18t cable drums and other equipment’s are expected from October 2022 to May 2023.
From May 2023, Zinfra will dismantle the overhead transmission line between Kama reserve and the Tuggeranong Parkway. Zinfra team will drive along the Molonglo River PACS trail to access towers to be dismantled. As we get closer to deliver this scope of work Evoenergy will re-contact you to confirm the work program.
3/ Evoenergy Molonglo Zone Substation project DA202138711
a/ Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) connection to Evoenergy Distribution Network
From September 2022 Evoenergy’s partner (ITP) and their contractors will attend the future zone substation site to construct a compound for battery energy. The scope of works include minor trenching, concrete blinding, delivery of batteries and other demountable buildings, cable hauling and perimeter security fence construction. The project is planned to be completed by May 2023.
b/ The construction of the permanent zone substation (future work)
The scope of works will include a control building construction, electrical equipment installation and connection to Evoenergy Network, security perimeter fence installation. This construction will start in 2024 and is expected to be completed by May 2025.
