230 tonne engine on road to Owen Springs Power Station

22 Apr 2010

A 70-metre truck bearing the engine left Darwin at 7am Sunday after arriving on a heavy lift ship from Europe. It rested 25km south of Adelaide River on the first night.

The truck is 70 metres long, with 216 wheels and—loaded—is eight metres high.

“Moving an engine of this weight is an incredible logistical exercise,” said Power and Water General Manager Generation Ian Pratt.

“Our staff and contractors have been working on these travel plans for months, in close consultation with road authorities and NT Police.

“Preparation at the Owen Springs site started more than a year ago so the arrival of the first engine is exciting."

Due to its height, line crews accompany the convoy to lift or lower some powerlines to allow the engine to pass safely. This results in power interruptions for some customers, in most cases these are as short as 15 minutes however some areas may be affected longer.

“This is the first of three 10.9 megawatt MAN engines to be installed this year and provide for future power needs in Alice Springs," Mr Pratt said.

"A further two engines will be delivered in coming months and are scheduled for commissioning at Owen Springs in August and October."

For more information see Owen Springs Power Station. The truck’s progress and planned outages are updated daily.