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Entura supports international capability development through dam safety training

25 September, 2023

Entura will be delivering tailored dam safety training for an international delegation next month, supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The 10-day dam safety training course will take place in Hobart, Tasmania, from October 2-13. It is part of the South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity (SARIC) initiative, formed and funded by the Australian Government in 2019.

The delegation comprises 21 senior engineers and executives from India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka from the government and private sector, with roles in water and hydropower organisations.

Entura’s dedicated training arm, the Entura clean energy and water institute (ECEWI), will deliver the training, drawing on the technical expertise of their engineering staff.

“We are proud to be part of this important Australian Government initiative to promote sustainability, economic growth and lasting benefits to communities through safe energy and water infrastructure,” said ECEWI’s Project Coordinator, Leesa deGroot.

“Entura has excellent educational capacities and we have delivered numerous successful training programs via ECEWI, drawing on the expertise of our people and industry-leading practices.

This program exemplifies our commitment to support capability building for global partners, share dam safety knowledge, and foster networks to produce a long-lasting community.”

The course will be delivered by several of Entura’s dam specialists, including Richard Herweynen, our Director, Water, Paul Southcott, our Senior Principal, Dams & Headworks and Dr Tapan Mukhopadhyay, our India-based Principal Consultant, Geotechnical Engineering.

The Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) Deputy Chairman, Angus Swindon, will also deliver a special welcome address.

The program covers an array of dam safety principles in Australian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian contexts, and global sustainability guidelines. Delegates will visit several key Hydro Tasmania sites as part of the training, including Trevallyn, Miena, and Meadowbank Dams. 

“Sharing knowledge about how to safely operate dams is important for protecting assets and communities and creates opportunities to ensure future developments and upgrades are undertaken with improved safety in mind” said Dr Amanda Ashworth, Entura’s Director of Sales, Strategy and Commercial, and ECEWI Business Manager.

“Lifting the capability of your people and creating a skilled engineering workforce is a critical part of ensuring ongoing sustainability of the power and water sectors,” she said. 

Entura has delivered training through ECEWI for over ten years. During that time, it has delivered 150 training programs to power and water clients in Australia and internationally. This includes dam safety training for the Malaysian Committee on Large Dams (MYCOLD), dam safety training for local Tasmanian utilities, and close relationships with Bangkok’s Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Kuala Lumpur’s Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), among others.

Find out more about Entura’s customised training offerings here, and the SARIC program through their website and LinkedIn.