Moving towards a net zero target, the Illawarra coal-fired power station is being converted to a Gas Turbine system. Tallawarra B represents stage two of this conversion project, featuring a second 350MW Gas Turbine to later be powered by green hydrogen.

Nettlefold Projects, a renowned engineering consultant company, was contracted to GE in the later stages of construction to push the electrical packages of works across the line and align them for commissioning. Our technical expertise was leant on heavily to produce work packages for remaining electrical assets, ensuring a quality finished product, minimising risk and adhering to scope/site specifications. 

The engineering design for this project was approached collaboratively with structured peer review and discussion. This meant constant review and auditing to ensure adherence to both Australian standards and clients’ internal specifications. We provided technical support in daily stakeholder meetings to achieve cohesion amongst all working groups, with all deviations outside of the original design captured alongside risk reviews and written instructions.

To get the project ready for first gas, Nettlefold Projects also provided solutions for unfinished designs, MV & HV cable sizing reviews, HV & Earthing audits, instrument testing and purging procedures. As this was a live construction environment, we adopted CCMS compliance software to create a safety gateway between completed construction & commissioning activities. This let us achieve our zero-harm target for the project, with all subsystems requiring a traceable completion certificate prior to energisation. Nettlefold Projects would then sign off on Notices of Energisation as a Senior Electrical Engineer, clearing circuits to be tested and energised.

Key Responsibilities:

• Make comprehensive and educated changes to designs with redlined drawings
• Conduct design and construction audits to ensure compliance with the National Electricity Rules (NER), relevant Australian Standards (AS3000, AS2067, etc.), and specific generator access requirements under the Project Development Agreement (PDA).
• Issue site instructions and technical clarifications to align construction activities with statutory obligations and ensure safe, compliant, and functional electrical installations for generator tie-ins.
• Author and review commissioning and test procedures, including Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and generator commissioning protocols in accordance with AEMO and Transgrid standards.
• Review and verify earth grid layouts, earthing resistance, and equipotential bonding designs to mitigate step and touch voltage risks at substations, switchyards, and generator sites.
• Lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary electrical and instrumentation (E&I) work packages, including planning, procurement, installation, and verification of grid-connected infrastructure.
• Define and manage battery limits, tie-in points, and interface scopes between Generators, ACEREZ, Transgrid, and AEMO to ensure clarity of responsibilities and seamless integration.
• Provide technical responses to RFIs and stakeholder queries by interpreting and applying applicable Australian Standards and project-specific technical specifications.
• Develop and issue installation work packs for critical electrical assets, ensuring traceability, compliance, and alignment with construction sequencing and energisation timelines.