Enabling works have begun at Transgrid‘s Newcastle substation as part of a statewide program to prepare for the installation of synchronous condensers, making it one of the first locations where work is underway.
According to Transgrid, enabling works have started at the Newcastle and Kemps Creek substations following the appointment of construction partners for the first phase of its System Strength Project. The program will see ten synchronous condensers installed across five existing Transgrid substations after the NSW Government directed the project to proceed as a Priority Network Infrastructure Project..
Site preparation underway
Transgrid has awarded contracts to Consolidated Power Projects (CPP) and UGL to carry out the civil and building works required before the synchronous condensers are installed.
CPP will undertake enabling works at the Newcastle, Kemps Creek and Armidale substations, while UGL will complete the work at Wellington and Darlington Point.
Transgrid Executive General Manager of Network Jason Krstanoski said the contracts would allow work to proceed across multiple locations.
The enabling works are expected to take between 12 and 14 months at each site. They include earthworks, major foundations, drainage, underground cabling, earthing, construction of buildings for electrical and communications systems, cable trenching, transformer installation, access road upgrades, environmental management activities, community safety measures and minor transmission line augmentation works.
The synchronous condensers will be installed within the boundaries of existing substations. According to Transgrid, no new transmission infrastructure is required outside the substation sites.
Manufacturing in progress ahead of installation
While site preparation is underway in NSW, manufacturing of the synchronous condensers has commenced at GE Vernova’s facility in England.
Transgrid representatives recently visited the plant to inspect production of the first unit and review manufacturing, testing and installation processes.
The first synchronous condensers are expected to begin arriving in Australia from mid-2027. The equipment will then be installed progressively, with all ten units targeted to be energised by February 2029.
GE Vernova will supply two synchronous condensers at each of the five substations rather than one larger unit at each location.
Equipment designed to support network stability
Synchronous condensers are rotating electrical machines used to provide reactive power, fault current, inertia and voltage support to electricity networks. According to Transgrid, they help strengthen the power system and improve its ability to remain stable during events such as the sudden loss of a generating unit or transmission line.
The machines will operate at 15kV and connect to the existing 330kV transmission network through dedicated transformers installed at each substation.
Transgrid estimates the System Strength Project will deliver an additional $1 billion in net market benefits by maintaining a safe and reliable power system while reducing emissions from thermal generators.
