AGL Torrens Island Power Station Upgrade was delivered following the severe storms of 2016, which disrupted power supply across South Australia and exposed the limitations of the site’s aging diesel back-up generation systems. AGL engaged Sturdie to upgrade the existing infrastructure while maintaining uninterrupted operation of the live cogeneration plant.
The scope included the safe decommissioning and removal of the existing generators, the supply and installation of two new generator units, including a 1250 kVA generator, the installation of new emergency switchboards, load bank test boards, and all interfacing equipment, followed by comprehensive testing and commissioning.
A key challenge was completing the upgrade with minimal disruption to the ongoing operation of the main A and B Station generators on Torrens Island. The new generators and their supporting electrical networks were required to be installed, tested, and commissioned without impacting the station’s primary power generation capability.
Sturdie adopted a highly planned and technical approach, engaging specialist engineers to undertake arc flash and discrimination studies while in-house teams developed detailed installation methodologies, cable schedules, and termination diagrams. This enabled works to be executed safely and efficiently within the constraints of a live power generation environment.
As a result of the upgrade, emergency power generation reliability and resilience at Torrens Island Power Station, Adelaide’s primary electricity generation facility, has been significantly enhanced, providing increased certainty of supply for South Australian residents and industry.