Archer Zone Substation

A works program to thoroughly test all zone substation and associated equipment, scheduling repairs, upgrades and maintenance to improve the security of electricity supply across the Northern Territory.

Archer Zone Substation, near Palmerston, will support the forecast growth in electrical load from the city's CBD and new suburbs to be built over the next five years.

The zone substation will step power down from 66,000 volt transmission from Channel Island and Weddell power stations to 11,000 volts for distribution into the suburbs of Mitchell, Johnson and Zuccoli and the central business district.

Civil construction was completed in late 2009 and electrical works including high voltage switchyard equipment, protection and control panels and cabling completed in 2010. Testing and commissioning of the substation is underway, with the facility on schedule to become fully operational in 2012.

A new 66,000 volt transmission line from Archer Zone Substation to Hudson Creek Substation will support the increasing demand for electricity for the Palmerston and East Arm Port areas as well as providing a secure supply route from the new Weddell Power Station to the greater Darwin region. Poles were installed in 2010 with conductors progressively connected thereafter.

For more information on the project:

• Construction of transmission line - Marlow Lagoon - June 2010
• Aerial views of proposed line including pictorial view of poles
• Frequently asked questions
• Diagrammatic representation of pole markers
• Transmission line route

Progressing Power and Water – Mervyn Davies’ Report - A works program to thoroughly test all zone substation and associated equipment, scheduling repairs, upgrades and maintenance to improve the security of electricity supply across the Northern Territory.

Power and Water is continuing an intensive program of testing and upgrading its power networks infrastructure to further improve reliability.

"Networks" describes the part of the power system that delivers electricity from the power station to your home or business.

It includes the transmission lines that carry electricity across long distances at high voltage, zone substations that step it down to lower voltage for your suburb, low voltage lines that carry electricity into your street and transformers that step it down again for your home.

Power and Water cannot control storms, animals or other factors that affect the power network, but we can ensure our network is in the best condition to withstand our harsh climates and growing customer needs.

A schedule of thorough testing to identify when equipment is reaching the end of its operational life or load limit has been improved since failures at Casuarina Zone Substation in Darwin in 2008. Better testing equipment and techniques continue to provide data that allows us to understand equipment condition.

A program of ongoing maintenance and investment has been agreed and approved to ensure system security in the future.

This work, with the Remedial Asset Management Program, will fulfil the recommendations of the Mervyn Davies Report on Power and Water's substation maintenance and practice. Mr Davies' full recommendations and quarterly progress reports on these are below.