Bayswater Liddell Power Stations

We have undertaken comprehensive studies to assess and reduce the risk of arc-flash injury.

Location

New South Wales, Australia

Client

AGL Macquarie Pty Ltd

Project Status

Completed

The Liddell and Bayswater power stations are located between Singleton and Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Over recent years the 2,640 MW Bayswater power station has produced approximately 15,000 GWh of electricity a year, which is enough power for two million average Australian homes and families. The 2,000 MW Liddell power station produces around 8,000 GWh of electricity or enough power for approximately one million average Australian family homes.

To comply with the Work Health and Safety Act, Macquarie AGL must regularly assess the risk of arc-flash injury and introduce safety initiatives to reduce this risk.

A comprehensive assessment

WSP carried out various arc-flash (AF) studies of the thermal power stations’ high voltage (HV) and low voltage (LV) systems for AGL Macquarie.

The scope of work covered all HV and LV system electrical system equipment of Liddell and Bayswater power stations, the Liddell 33 kV switching station, the Hunter Valley gas turbine generator plants, mine conveyor substations and pumping stations.

Our AF studies included:

Calculating arc flash incident energies
Selecting Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
Lowering AF energies to PPE Category 2 or less by protection grading studies or, if still not achieved, recommending other solutions

We performed all studies and recommendations using a comprehensive fault level calculation methodology (IEEE 1584 and NFPA 70E).

Valued services

From the report findings, AGL Macquarie awarded us a new contract to provide protection grading adjustments, using our existing knowledge of the power station’s configuration. The report identified all buses and switchboards where the AF incident energy fell under the Dangerous PPE category of 3 and 4.

Improving workplace safety

With the potential to reach extremely high temperatures, an arc flash incident can cause damaged equipment, production loss and potentially injury or death. Our findings and recommended protection adjustments reduced the risk of operations personnel being exposed to AF incident energies without the need for new protection equipment.

Combined capacity (in MW)

4,640