CIMIC’s UGL has completed concrete pours for a 3700-tonne concrete foundation, which forms part of the first gas turbine for the Hunter Power Project in New South Wales.
UGL is the principal contractor for the construction of the 660-megawatt power generation plant at the project in Kurri Kurri, commissioned by Snowy Hydro Limited.
The proposed Hunter Power Project at Kurri Kurri will fill the gap in electricity demand and ensure security of supply following the retirement of the Liddell Power Station in Muswellbrook.
The closure of Liddell Power Station will reduce NSW’s electricity supply by around 13 per cent and without replacement dispatch-able capacity, this risks prices rising by around 30 per cent over two years.
The Hunter Power Project comprises two open cycle gas turbines which will operate on natural gas and can also support hydrogen streams. Diesel is available on-site as a backup to support NSW’s power grid.
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UGL’s concrete pour consisted of 1,480 metres3 of concrete for the foundation of the first gas turbine. The final foundational concrete block is over 3.5m high, 11m wide, and 36m long, and weighs approximately 3700 tonnes.
UGL’s entire scope of works includes procurement and supply of all the supporting components and auxiliary systems of a power plant needed to deliver the energy, all civil and foundation works, site installation of equipment supplied by both MHI and UGL, and testing and pre-commissioning.
By providing firmed energy the Hunter Power Project will facilitate an estimated 1.5 to 2GW of renewables, or the equivalent of 160,000 household solar installations.
UGL’s HPP Senior Project Engineer, Mark Williamson said UGL overcame a variety of challenges to complete the pours.
“Pouring the concrete is the main event of a long planning and strict execution process. We considered a myriad of variables: from air temperature to humidity level, including wind speed, surface temperatures, water, and the concrete mix that we used. All these make the task very challenging, and we were able to successfully deliver,” Williamson said.