2018 30 Paper: Breathing New Life into Roxburghs old faithfuls

In 2008 it was deemed that the two auxiliary turbine-generators that provide local service for the Roxburgh Power Station would undergo mechanical and automation upgrades.
Having been in continuous service since 1956, the vision was to overhaul or replace all deteriorated mechanical and electrical components and at the same time automate the machines to provide flexibility, ease of use and modern digital autonomy coupled with full station integration.
This process was envisaged to occur over a long duration, allowing for minimal disruption of local service to the station whilst at the same time accommodating other projects occurring on site.
The journey that ensued was beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings. From the trials and tribulations of funding, the ever moving schedule to fit in with other station works, dealing with manpower & resourcing, reverse engineering 60 year old equipment, dealing with 70+ year old designs and keeping ahead of the receivers as external consultants and supplier companies are liquidated, the project timeline has been eventful to say the least.
The project demonstrates that faced with multiple challenges, a focused and driven project group will endure against the odds and deliver to a very high technical standard. It shows that the foresight to refurbish old equipment, to have a sustainable focus and to adapt proven long serving entities to a modern level of engineering, is a risk and investment still worth taking.

• Author: Benjamin Smid, John Anderson, Nathan McLean
• Exchange: 2018 - Albury AGL
• Company: Contact Energy
• Topic: Asset Management, Asset Replacement, Controls, Generator, Governor, Refurbishment
• Key Words: Asset, Bearing, Control Philosophy, Cooling, Rehabilitation, Runner, Turbine, cost, generator