The Tauranga population and load growth meant that the existing 110 kV national grid connection to the Bay of Plenty area was nearing capacity. The transmission lines from the Tarukenga substation were built with the capacity to deliver 220 kV but have been energised at 110 kV since originally built. In order to provide increased capacity and security of supply to the BOP area the supply from Tarukenga to Kaitimako needed to be increased to 220 kV.
Specific project phases were apparent from the outset, including:
The Edison team were engaged to provide site based support which included managing the supply of principal supplied equipment, undertaking weekly site coordination meetings and ensuring all outage / commissioning works were effectively planned.
Due to the complexity of this project, the Edison team was also engaged to develop detailed risk plans for each phase of the project. Eleven separate construction and commissioning stages were noted, each with their own inherent risks.
The project included the construction of a new 220 kV switchyard and the installation of two 100 tonne transformers which were transported from Auckland to Tauranga on flatbed trucks during the early hours of two mornings.
During the installation phases of the project, the Edison team also provided support during commissioning.
