Olympic Dam HV Power System Studies

Scope

Site-wide power review, data collection and verification, ETAP Modelling and power system and protection analyses. Assist BHP Olympic Dam Governance & Technical Stewardship (G & TS) in establishment of an Engineering and Asset Integrity Standard for the ongoing management of the ETAP model.

In September 2016, The South Australian Grid network suffered a blackout. BHP Olympic Dam lost power for 14 days. Voltex provided engineering support including secondment to the Olympic Dam site in Roxby Downs to update the power system model using ETAP software. BHP drawing records were out of date, so to ensure integrity of the model, Voltex personnel liaised on-site with BHP personnel, identified the electrical assets, collected data, verified and updated drawings and the ETAP model, and performed short circuit and load flow calculations and simulations, and reviewed and recommended updates to the protection settings across the site, to improve safety, reliability and performance.

Later, Voltex provided input and advice to BHP’s Governance & Technical Stewardship (G & TS) in establishment of an Engineering and Asset Integrity Standard for the ongoing management of the ETAP model.