Updates on power supply to Broken Hill

A statement by Transgrid’s Head of Far West Operations Response Sam Pickering.

Over the last 24 hours we were able to successfully lift all of the high voltage conductors into place along the seven emergency response structures.

This has been an exceptional effort by our entire Transgrid team here on the ground in Broken Hill and I would like to reiterate my thanks to everyone involved.

We are now working through the process of tensioning, securing and testing the lines that supply mains power to Far West NSW.

I would also like to mention that today Transgrid are conducting a full inspection of the 250km line from Broken Hill to Baronga.  

The significant progress means that we expect to bring the transmission line back into service by this Saturday, November 2, noting that our backup generation has continued to provide uninterrupted supply to Broken Hill over the past 5 days, supported by the microgrid.

In terms of what the community can expect, when the works and testing have been completed, the switchover to the transmission line will take place without interrupting the power supply to the community here in Broken Hill.

For some rural communities outside of Broken Hill that are currently being supplied by Essential Energy’s backup generation, we understand that Essential will need to conduct an interrupt to switch power from the portable generators to the main power supply and they will advise customers directly in advance.

Looking forward to next steps, Transgrid is now planning for the installation of the permanent towers and the current additional backup generation will remain in place as added resilience to the Broken Hill grid.

I would like to finish by restating my sincere thanks to the Broken Hill community and surrounding regions for their patience and support, to the NSW Government, Essential Energy and the emergency services personnel that have supported the emergency response.

A statement by Transgrid’s Head of Far West Operations Response Sam Pickering.

Over the last 24 hours we were able to successfully put in place the final emergency response structure, meaning all seven transmission towers have now been erected.

This is an incredible effort, and I want to say thank you once again to our teams who are working in a challenging and complex environment to complete these works as safely and efficiently as possible.

As of this morning, I can confirm that we having made significant progress with roughly 35% of the conductor now installed. We expect to have the remaining conductors installed over the course of the next 2 days. Obviously, we are working to expedite the process, but we undertake this complex, high-risk work with an abundance of caution and timing remains subject to weather and being able to continue work safely.

Once completed, we will commence testing and commissioning, with a view to having mains supply to Broken Hill connected as soon as possible.

We will continue to work with Essential Energy as we progress this process and are mindful of keeping the local community informed throughout.

The restoration of primary power to Broken Hill will not require an interruption, however those communities in Far West NSW currently supplied by Essential Energy’s back-up generation may require a short, planned interruption to finalise the reconnection and Essential will liaise directly with those customers to minimise any impacts.

Our gas turbine, which remains the primary power source for Broken Hill during this period, continues to operate well supported by the Battery Energy Storage System.

Emergency response crews have now erected all seven emergency response towers as repairs to the 3.5km storm-damaged transmission line near Broken Hill accelerate to restore the primary power supply to the Far West region as soon as possible, following the catastrophic weather event.

All seven 60-metre-tall high-voltage steel towers have been safely lifted into place, with more than 120 specialists working in rotation 24/7, and six cranes, 11 elevated work platforms and two excavators mobilised across the construction zone.

Specialist stringing crews will then begin to lift three conductors onto each transmission tower before testing begins at both ends of the 250km high-voltage line and the primary power supply can be switched on.

'"This is significant progress, and I want to thank our team who have mobilised from across Australia and who continue to put in an enormous effort to reinstate the main power supply to Broken Hill," Head of Transgrid"s Far West Operations Response Sam Pickering said during the NSW Government's Emergency Response Media Conference in Broken Hill today.

"'With the solid progress made over the weekend, we are continuing to concurrently review the scheduling of energisation of the primary power supply with potential to complete slightly ahead of the current date of 6 November. We will continue to keep the community of Broken Hill informed of our progress."

Transgrid has increased the stability of backup power supplies to Broken Hill communities. A grid-scale battery, charged by a combination of the large-scale generator and excess rooftop solar, began dispatching power last night to provide additional capacity during the evening peak period.

"As load on the generator increased to safe operating limits last night. the Transgrid control room discharged the grid-scale battery into the local network, helping ensure a stable flow of power to the community," Mr Pickering said.

"This is a positive step in building further resilience into the network. This is also the first microgrid operating within the National Electricity Market."

Mr Pickering also highlighted the high-risk nature of the work being carried out by Transgrid crews and reiterated the need to minimise disruptions so the permanent power supply could be returned as quickly and safely as possible.

"This is an emergency construction effort with our workers performing very challenging tasks," he said.

"We ask that interested parties respect the strict exclusion zones, which are there for your safety, and to allow our team members to continue their critical emergency response work safely."

Three more emergency towers have been safely erected and lifted into place and the large grid-scale battery continues charging, the first step in forming a microgrid, as Transgrid escalates its Far West Operations Response following the catastrophic weather event.

More than 120 specialists from around Australia have mobilised to reconstruct the 3.5km section of the storm-damaged transmission line and reinstate the region’s primary power supply.

“We acknowledge the support of the NSW Government, Essential Energy, the community and the many businesses that have mobilised to support this response,” Head of Transgrid’s Far West Operations Response Sam Pickering said during the NSW Government’s Emergency Response Media Conference in Broken Hill today.

“I want to especially acknowledge and thank the community for continuing to be mindful of their power usage during peak periods and for continuing to support our efforts here on the ground.”

Transgrid crews are concentrating tower construction efforts in the morning and afternoon periods when wind conditions allow for the safe standing of the 60-metre-tall steel structures.

“With weather and ground conditions permitting, we will continue to safely put in place the remaining transmission towers so that conductor stringing, testing and energisation can then commence,” Mr Pickering said.

“I would like to thank the team for their incredible work in getting these structures built as safely and efficiently as they have.”

AGL’s Broken Hill Battery Energy Storage System is successfully being charged by power from the grid and will be used to increase stability of power supply for local communities while the storm-damaged transmission line is reconstructed. The grid-scale battery will provide additional power to supplement supply and reduce reliance on the large-scale backup generator.

“This battery is now operating as the first step in forming our microgrid, which will support the backup generator. This means we are continuing to further build resilience into the grid,” Mr Pickering said.

“It’s taken a significant effort to get to this point, and it is due in no small part to the technical expertise of the hundreds of people working collaboratively on this emergency response.

“We want to again acknowledge and thank the community and every individual working on the emergency response in Broken Hill for their ongoing support.”

First tower rises in Broken Hill reconstruction effort
An enormous reconstruction effort is underway at Broken Hill where specialist crews are working around the clock to repair the 3.5km section of the storm-damaged transmission line and reinstate the Far West region’s primary power supply.

More than 100 specialists, technicians and crew have been mobilised to support the reconstruction effort in Broken Hill, coming from all over Australia, including Victoria and South Australia, as well as Transgrid bases at Newcastle, Orange, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga, Western Sydney and Yass.

The first of seven 60-metre-tall emergency response high-voltage transmission towers was safely lifted into place today using a crane.

“I want to be clear, we cannot underestimate the size and scale of this operation and the need to ensure the safety and security of the Broken Hill community and our frontline workers at all times,” Head of Transgrid’s Far West Operations Response Sam Pickering said during the NSW Government’s Emergency Response Media Conference in Broken Hill today.

“We acknowledge that periodic outages have been experienced since the catastrophic weather event, as our crews work through what is a highly complex and challenging technical and operational environment.
“We sincerely apologise for the impacts you have borne following the storms.”

While Broken Hill continues to be supplied power from Transgrid’s large-scale backup generator, specialist teams are also focused on securing additional backup generation to provide further supply certainty to the local community, including:

• Work is targeted to be completed over the next 48 hours on additional portable generation units which will remove reliance on the gas turbine
  
  
• Transgrid has worked to fast-track commissioning of a transmission microgrid, with AGL’s Broken Hill Battery Energy Storage System to provide additional backup generation to the region
  
  
• Transgrid and Essential Energy are continuing to safely install and operate extra generators across the local network to provide additional backup capacity while repairs to the transmission line are completed.

Meanwhile, Transgrid is fully cooperating with IPART on its investigation and is also working with the NSW Government and the various agencies involved in the response to the Broken Hill natural disaster.

“I want to thank the community of Broken Hill for their patience and for our crews who are working around the clock to complete the works as quickly and as safely as they possibly can,” Mr Pickering said.

3.45pm (ACDT)

• Power was restored to all impacted customers in conjunction with Essential Energy by 11.30am (local time), following a fault that took the large-scale backup generator offline earlier this morning at 2.30am (local time).
  
  
• Our specialist crews swiftly replaced the generator’s fuel forwarding pump and restarted the large-scale generator. Additionally, four smaller backup generators that were installed yesterday at Pinnacles Place continued to provide power to some remote communities during the outage.
  
  
• Crews have assembled seven temporary towers on the ground and are establishing structure foundations. Towers will then be erected before cabling gets underway.
  
  
• Emergency repairs to the transmission line that provides permanent supply are progressing well, with over 60 specialist technicians working in teams 24/7 on-site.
  
  
• The transmission line remains on track to return to service on Wednesday, 6 November, weather permitting. 
  
  
• Residents are being urged to be aware of possible scams targeting residents in Broken Hill with suspicious text messages using the word ‘claim’. Payments from the electrical outage support package will be made by Service NSW.

8.08am (ACDT)

• Technicians are working to safely restart the large-scale backup generator before progressively restoring power to parts of the region that were interrupted this morning.

6.40am (ACDT)

• The large-scale backup generator providing power supply to Broken Hill was taken out of service around 2.30am today (local time) after a fault was detected. 
  
  
• Specialist crews began immediate repairs to replace its fuel forwarding pump. 
  
  
• The backup generator is expected to be back in service and crews will work with Essential Energy to safely restore power to customers from 7.30am (local time).
  
  
• Four smaller backup generators installed yesterday by Essential Energy at Pinnacles Place continue to provide power to some remote communities.
  
  
• Emergency repairs to the transmission line that provides permanent supply to the area are progressing well and remain on track to return to service on Wednesday, 6 November.

• More than 50 specialist technicians are working in rotating shifts 24/7 to safely repair the storm-damaged powerline and restore the permanent electricity supply to Broken Hill and surrounding communities.
  
  
• Emergency response steel towers are being assembled and structure foundations installed, ahead of the new towers being erected using a series of cranes and elevated platforms. Specialist line crews will then string cables from the new towers.
• Transgrid thanks the community for their patience while work to repair the powerline is completed to restore supply to Broken Hill and surrounding communities from the transmission network.
  
  
• Broken Hill and surrounding communities in the Far West continue to be supplied power from the large-scale backup generator.
  
  
• Transgrid and Essential Energy are working to safely install additional generators across the area.
  
  
• The temporary supply to Broken Hill and surrounding areas remains complex. From time to time, outages can occur in localised parts of the region to enable the bulk of the supply to the community to continue, particularly during the evening peak. Both Transgrid and Essential Energy have crews onsite to rapidly respond to issues as they occur and minimise impacts.
  
  
• Transgrid technicians will conduct tests, safety checks and then commission four additional generators today to provide additional support when needed during the evening peak period.
  
  
• In addition, Transgrid is working to install additional generators and a transformer that arrived in Broken Hill yesterday as further backup at the substation.
  
  
• Transgrid continues to work closely with Essential Energy to ensure a safe design and coordinated set up of the backup generators while the primary transmission supply is returned to service.

• Please note, the generator currently out of service in Broken Hill was operational until it was taken offline for refurbishment in September 2024. Claims that it has been out of service since November 2023 are inaccurate.

• Transgrid’s back-up generator continues to supply parts of Broken Hill and surrounding communities, with power restored to most homes and businesses overnight.
  
  
• Specialist teams continually monitor the back-up generator's performance to ensure it's ongoing service, while emergency works ramp up to repair the storm-damaged powerline.
  
  
• Transgrid and Essential Energy are continuing to safely install additional generators on the local network to supplement supply to the area.
  
  
• From today, specialist crews will commence 24-hour rotating shifts to repair to repair the storm-damaged powerline.
  
  
• Emergency response steel towers to replace the seven damaged towers, new high-voltage conductor cabling and heavy machinery is now onsite, with the design of the replacement line and earthworks completed.
  
  
• Transgrid is focused on completing construction of the new temporary powerline as soon as possible to restore a permanent electricity supply to Broken Hill and surrounding communities.