Project Description
The project involved the installation of a new 132KV power transmission cable through the central business district of Perth, Western Australia as part of the power reinforcement plan. Abaxa was engaged to identify, locate, and protect all utilities during the final design and construction installation of the new transmission cable to Australian Standards AS5488 SUI and deliver a detailed Utility Survey for the project investigation.
The project challenges included a short procurement to mobilisation time, the busy Central Business District location, obtaining the City of Perth Footpath Obstruction Access approval and Noise Permit Approval, including public letter drop notification land the Utility duty of care permit arrangement and approval, enabling Abaxa to be on-site and keep the project moving for our client without delay to the program.
Abaxa confirmed critical utility conflict points along the proposed route for the final design cross-check needing to be hastily finalised prior to construction commencement on the project. The project was managed by Abaxa to a safe and fast paced program mobilising multiple resources to meet the urgent requirement to be on-site and confirm the utility data to keep the project moving and construction crews on the allocated timeline.
Abaxa, experienced in the Perth CBD with over 20 years of project delivery and direct work within the City of Perth including the New Metro Rail Tunnel, Elisabeth Quay development, Perth City Link, and a direct year on year City of Perth supply agreement, took the lead on utilities expertise and managed the challenges with the CBD Location.
Challenges included the high central city public safety management requirement above the ground, and the complex and dense utilities planned and unplanned under the ground, including unplanned old, reclaimed, and redundant services. Milligan Street is one of the most congested and complex utility underground highways in Perth.
The Abaxa team overcame this by trenching in highly congested areas that the project manager recommended based on previous experience to the most suitable intervals aligned to the client construction activity to enable 100% certainty and accuracy for the client to install the planned transmission cable without utility incident, which would have caused significant delays and risk to project workers and the public, as well as potential business interruption.
A complete survey of utilities was conducted to map and assist the corridor alignment in front of the client construction crews, timed to enable proactive decision making and communication to the construction crews to ensure the installation was right the first time and the budget was managed according to plan.
Abaxa managed the project through to the construction phase and then resourced an ATCO Approved High-Pressure Gas Locator to supervise and protect the public and construction crews in the continuation of the project.
Results
The client was new to the Western Australian market with minimal understanding of the permits for local government, local utilities, and the CBD challenges. Abaxa consulted proactively on the project to ensure the client was well informed, and could make decisions to assist project planning and contribute to the execution of the project on time and budget.
Previous knowledge of this project – through working extensively from early and preliminary design direct for Western Power and for Consulting Engineers – assured the client of the depth of knowledge and years of experience Abaxa could bring to the project.
- Fast deployment of resources
- Project Planning – Resource Planning, Permits and Approvals
- Client Collaboration on Complex City Location
- Zero Strikes
- Zero Injury
- Project delivered on time and budget
- Zero Unknown Utilities or delays on site
- Support with Additional Crews when requested to support project operations
