Whanganui benefits from mobile substation

Our Whanganui customers have been the latest to benefit from our mobile substation, which keeps customers' power on while we work.

From June to September 2021, the mobile substation was parked at Whanganui’s Castlecliff Substation to enable maintenance to be carried out on the substation’s 33kV switchboard and allow for a protection upgrade.

Having the mobile substation take over the work of the permanent substation while the work was being carried out meant customers’ power was kept on.

“Without the mobile substation, there would have been a real risk to the electricity network in the area,” Powerco Works Project Manager Taranaki and Whanganui, Mike Carson, says.

“A failure on the network at the time the work was taking place, such as a vehicle v pole causing a power outage, would have seen a significant number of customers lose supply.”

Since late October 2021, the mobile substation has been set-up in the central Whanganui carpark of Mitre 10 Mega to enable the building of a new 11kV switchboard and switchgear at adjacent Taupo Quay Substation.

“The mobile substation has been in big demand. It’s having a lot of use. In the time we’ve had it, it’s not been in service for only three to four weeks.”

Next stop for the mobile substation is Eltham in September 2022 for an upgrade of that substation.

Above: The mobile substation parked up in the carpark of Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui to enable an upgrade of adjacent Taupo Quay Substation.