Fugro to install undersea power cable in South Australia

Geointelligence and asset integrity solutions provider Fugro has won the contract to install a subsea power cable for South Australia’s distribution network management company, SA Power Networks.

The new 20,000 kVA/33,000 V cable will replace the existing 10,000 kVA/33,000 V undersea cable, which is reaching the end of its life. The subsea asset is a continuous 15 km-long cable, weighing 600 tonnes, and connects Kangaroo Island to the distribution network on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide.

Fugro will design and supply the power cable and will use its multirole support vessel, REM Etive, to install it across Backstairs Passage, from Fishery Beach on the mainland to Cuttlefish Bay on Kangaroo Island. 

“After installation of the cable our specialist team will also carry out commissioning and associated termination and connection works,” said Marcus Hemsted, business development manager at Fugro.

Commenting on project operations, Paul Roberts of SA Power Networks said, “They are scheduled to commence during the last quarter of 2017 and we expect operations to take a couple of weeks. The new cable is expected to be operational by the middle of 2018.”