Energy Connect
The EnergyConnect project is the core component of the Integrated System Plan (ISP) developed by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), enabling greater energy sharing within Australian markets. SMEC’s geotechnical team is working alongside TransGrid to provide geotechnical investigation services on the project and solutions to overcome significant variations in the local terrain.

The EnergyConnect project is a 900km proposed electricity interconnector being delivered by TransGrid and ElectraNet. The project will deliver high-voltage electricity between the power grids of South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. During the project, TransGrid experienced challenging working environments, with dramatic terrain and significant geology variation along the alignment. Consequently, resulting in required adjustments made to the investigation techniques proposed to suit the local conditions.

Client

TransGrid

Year

2018 – Ongoing

Location

Australia

Expertise
Geotechnics Geotechnical Investigations Transmission and Distribution
900
km
of an electricity interconnector between South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales

Innovative geotechnical practices

In order to successfully overcome the geotechnical challenges faced by the TransGrid, SMEC’s highly skilled Geotechnical team adopted innovative geotechnical practices such as digital logging and digital field data acquisition. This enabled SMEC to overcome the dramatic variations in terrain and to provide TransGrid with a weekly data package, containing the results from previous weeks.

 

Desktop geotechnical and environmental studies

SMEC’s Geotechnics team worked alongside TransGrid to deliver geotechnical investigation services for EnergyConnect. SMEC undertook desktop geotechnical and environmental studies as well as field investigations comprising of Borehole, Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), and Electrical Resistivity Testing (ERT) along the project alignment between Wagga Wagga and Balranald. Being on the ground, SMEC was been able to quickly respond to additional requests from TransGrid as the project developed, while supporting other clients and projects in the region.

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