6 February 2009. Site works commenced in November 2008 for the Owen Springs Power Station being constructed by MAN Diesel Australia. This turnkey power station will have 2 x 12V51/60 DF generator sets with a combined capacity of 21.8 MWe which are due for delivery in early 2010.

The need for early site works arose because the client, Power & Water Corporation, requires the transfer of two Solar gas turbines from the existing power station in nearby Alice Springs to the new station, due to noise issues. MAN Diesel is providing the infrastructure for the gas turbines, but the relocation and recommissioning of these units will be carried out by others.

Immediately following contract award, PWC undertook a hydrological survey of the site to ensure the station could cope with rare rain events. As a result, MAN Diesel received a significant earthworks variation to raise the ground level by 1 metre to cope with a 1 in 100 year flood.

The area is normally quite barren and tinder dry, but to prove the point about the possibility of significant rain, it started raining seriously just on the commencement of site clearing, and 15 days were lost due to heavy rainfall. However, with work continuing over Christmas and fair weather in January, the program is back on track to meet the required dates for the GT installation and the power station construction.

Local design is proceeding well with the completion of the earthworks and road design, and civil and structural design are well underway. Contracts for the administration and amenities buildings have been let and procurement of major items is proceeding to plan. The client’s gas supply and metering station has been installed and we will install the diesel fuel delivery and storage equipment in the next weeks.

By April 2009, the client’s Gas Turbines should be working and construction of some of the power station facilities will have commenced.