New Zealand: Transpower, the owner and operator of New Zealand’s high voltage transmission network, completed a $2.6 M project at the Woodville substation last week.

The project included major equipment replacement for the 95-year-old facility that provides power to Woodville and areas north and is also a critical node for the wider Tararua District with connections through to Dannevirke, Waipawa and Mangamaire.

Since 2007, it has also been the connection point for around 90 MW of wind generation. It was an opportunity to bring Woodville up to today’s standards of maintainability.

That meant replacing older equipment for new modern equivalents. Fifty-five-year-old circuit breakers that use bulk oil as an insulator were replaced with gas-insulated options that provide more features and take up less room. Around 29,000 L of oil were removed from site for recycling as a result – helping Transpower’s drive to reduce its own environmental footprint.

Four 110 kV bulk oil circuit breakers (largely 1965 models), and eight air disconnectors were removed and replaced with four integrated gas filled disconnector circuit breakers. Two Arteche current transformers were replaced with newer ABB / Nissin models. Switchyard extension was made with two replaced circuit breakers and old empty bulk oil circuit breaker waiting for the metal recycler. Testing was conducted on the final circuit breaker on the Woodville – Dannevirke – Waipawa Circuit 1 prior to commissioning.

Brendan Olsen, Transpower Lower North Island regional service manager said, “The crews worked exceptionally well to get this project completed given all that has been happening nationally – and importantly for the people of Woodville and the wider region, they now have a much more reliable and resilient substation that will continue to provide service for many decades to come.”

Source: NZ Herald