Riverina dealerships drive Australia’s clean energy future

Transgrid’s construction partner SecureEnergy has purchased trucks, buses and utes from local dealerships to be used on the critical project as part of our commitment to supporting regional businesses.

Executive General Manager of Major Projects Gordon Taylor said more than $18 million has so far been invested in local suppliers for materials, equipment and services along the 700km project alignment from Wagga to the South Australian border.

“Transgrid is building the transmission superhighway which will transform the energy supply for millions of Australians and the Riverina is in the driver’s seat with our major energy projects centred on the region,” Mr Taylor said.

“Wagga businesses are helping us get on with the job of delivering the critical infrastructure needed to provide households and businesses with cheaper, more reliable and sustainable energy.

“We’re committed to supporting regional businesses, enabling them to expand, create new jobs, and develop skills and capabilities.

“Spending in local communities, awarding local procurement packages and buying locally is a key priority and we are proud to provide this significant boost for Wagga businesses.”

Wagga Trucks has signed a $7.4 million contract with SecureEnergy – the largest single purchase order from a local supplier to date for EnergyConnect.

The dealership is supplying six prime movers and 40 4x4 crew trucks to transport personnel, steel and other materials and equipment along the project alignment as well as one water tanker for dust suppression.

Wagga Trucks Managing Director Matthew Shaw said the deal not only benefited his business and 50 staff but the community at large.

“Securing a deal like this is a massive boost to our business and to our team,” Mr Shaw said.

“This gives us the opportunity to really strive towards the future. It gives us a chance to take on something that we’ve never done at this size before.

“It has a ripple effect for multitudes of businesses. We’ve got multiple subcontractors that work for us - auto electricians, engineers, signage companies. In any of the vehicles that we have supplied to the contractor there’s 15-20 subcontractors that benefit from it too. They go on to benefit local clubs and sporting facilities and all those sorts of things so it’s a massive knock-on effect.”

Hillis Motor Group at Wagga is supplying 70 Ford Ranger dual cab utes worth more than $4 million for EnergyConnect.

Daimler Trucks Wagga is providing five 25-seat buses to transport personnel from worker accommodation camps to construction sites.

Intellifleet based in Wagga is fitting all the locally sourced vehicles with in-vehicle monitoring systems to record telematics data such as GPS fleet tracking and help safeguard drivers.

To find out more about please visit the EnergyConnect page. 

Transgrid media contact:

Mark Nolan 0429 047 136