Tasmanian Irrigation water management system a finalist for Australian Engineering Excellence Awards
Tasmanian Irrigation’s Meander Dam integrated water management system has been selected as a finalist for the Australian Engineering Excellence Awards (AEEA) Tasmania 2016.
Designed, developed and delivered by specialist power and water consulting firm Entura, the system provides accurate, reliable and easy-to-use information to help Tasmanian Irrigation (TI) effectively manage its Meander Dam water storage and associated hydropower facility in northern Tasmania. The system allows TI to deliver certainty of irrigation supply to water users while also optimising power production, and ensuring dam safety.
“We’re delighted to have partnered with Entura to develop the Meander Dam integrated water management system and are thrilled about being selected as a finalist for such a prestigious award,” said TI CEO Nicola Morris.
“The value created by the water management system was particularly evident during the 2015/16 irrigation season, in which the region experienced below-average rainfall that resulted in reduced inflows into Meander Dam and increased demand for water supply to irrigators.”
“We were able to match demand from predicted storage levels, fulfilling irrigator expectations and retaining sufficient storage capacity to be able to extend the delivery for an additional month. This ensured that irrigators were able to finish final crops and also maintain pasture growth for livestock and dairy activities.”
Meander Dam is the centrepiece of the Meander Valley Irrigation Scheme, one of the largest irrigation schemes in Tasmania. The dam was completed in 2007 and holds 43 000 megalitres of water, supplying five irrigation regions servicing pasture and cropping land producing dairy, poppies, cereals, pyrethrum, pasture seeds, potatoes, berries, vegetables and nuts.
“Entura’s solution incorporates a novel integration of inputs producing an easy-to-interpret, customised decision-support platform via a cloud-based service,” explained Angus Swindon, Power and Water Director at Entura. “Real-time rainfall and flow monitoring data is fed into the system via a network of catchment telemetry, and then combined with short-term and long-term Bureau of Meteorology forecasts and a hydrological model of the catchment.”
Via a user-friendly dashboard interface, Tasmanian Irrigation has an up-to-date picture of the dam’s status and the probability of various possible short-term and long-term scenarios of storage level and hydropower output. Real-time information from water meters on pumps within the irrigation area is also brought into a dashboard to give operators a complete picture of water balance in the area serviced by the dam.
“Access to such robust and reliable information supports appropriate management decision making, such as whether and when to release water, and the extent and timing of hydropower operation,” said Ms Morris.
“Increased hydropower operation reaps a dual benefit from the valuable water resource, helping to offset our operational costs, enabling greater delivery of service throughout Tasmania, benefitting not only the local community but the whole Tasmanian agricultural sector.”
The AEEA Tasmania 2016 Awards seek to identify, recognise and reward outstanding achievement in the practice of engineering and service to the profession, promoting industry excellence across engineering projects and engineering professionals. TI’s system is a finalist in the “Control Systems, Networks, Information Processing and Telecommunications” category and winners will be announced at an awards evening on 8 September.
About Tasmanian Irrigation
Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd (TI) was established in 2008 and merged with the former Rivers and Water Supply Commission (RWSC) and Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes (TIS) Pty Ltd in 2011.
TI develops, constructs and operates irrigation schemes across the state using a Public – Private funding model for scheme development and with a commercial operational focus on delivering water to irrigators on time and at a realistic cost whilst maintaining the irrigation infrastructure
TI provides the technical, financial and project management skills to progress schemes from concept development through feasibility and construction to operations. All schemes developed by TI are designed to last 100 years, deliver water at an average reliability of greater than 95 per cent and are built to satisfy demand in each region.
In the 2015/16 summer irrigation season TI delivered over 67,730 ML of water via 13 schemes across the state.
For more information please visit www.tasirrigation.com.au
Entura appoints Principal Consultant Water Management and Technology
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has appointed David Fuller to the newly created role of Principal Consultant Water Management and Technology, based in its Melbourne office, in Australia.
David brings to Entura over 35 years’ experience in water management and the delivery of water, environment, engineering and advisory projects across Australia and Asia.
“We’re pleased to welcome David to the team,” said Angus Swindon, Power and Water Director at Entura. “David brings extensive water management and consulting experience to the firm and I’m confident he will add value to our clients’ projects as we expand our service offerings to the water sector in Australia and the Asia-pacific region.”
David’s expertise spans surface water and groundwater management, data analysis and modelling. He has a unique combination of skills across environmental and engineering hydrology, water quality, natural resource economics and advanced statistics that support a balanced and realistic view of the value of data and analysis in informing effective decision making.
“Helping to manage the flow of 14 trillion litres of water through the Tasmanian system every year has given Entura unparalleled experience in water resource management and infrastructure planning, operations and maintenance,” said David. “I’m very excited to join Entura as the firm prepares to expand both nationally and internationally and increase its presence in the water sector.”
Prior to joining Entura, David has held a number of senior positions in both the private and public sector. These included Senior Principal and Catchment Water Business Line Leader at URS Australia, Land & Water Assessment Manager at the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, and Principal Hydrologist at Hydro Tasmania.
David has a Bachelor of Science (Maths/Physics) from the University of Tasmania, a Graduate Certificate in Hydrology from The University of New South Wales, a Graduate Diploma in Statistics from The University of New England (UNE), a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University and a Master of Economics from UNE.
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer and water manager, Entura is backed by more than 100 years of creating energy and maintaining power and water assets.
The firm works with clients to deliver practical and commercially sound solutions across the whole lifecycle of power and water assets, helping them to manage risks and achieve valuable outcomes.
Entura to deliver data management solution to Australia’s oldest irrigation scheme
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has been engaged by The Renmark Irrigation Trust (RIT) to deliver telemetry technology that will enable better data collection and management from over 800 water meters in South Australia.
Founded in 1893, RIT is Australia’s oldest irrigation scheme. It supplies irrigation water pumped from the Murray River to over 550 farming properties, covering more than 4,500 hectares of horticultural land.
The new system will significantly improve customer experience and drive operational efficiencies, eliminating the need for contractors to manually read the meters.
“We recognise the importance of good irrigation delivery and on‐farm practices through the use of efficient delivery infrastructure systems and efficient water use, monitoring and management techniques,” said RIT General Manager, Barry Schier.
“The new telemetry system provided by Entura will capture water use data from individual mag flow water meters utilising RS232 protocol throughout our scheme and integrate that data with our existing billing and water orderings systems.”
“Our customers will be able to access information concerning their daily water use and remaining water allocation via the internet, giving them greater oversight of their water use patterns and providing more flexibility for water trading.”
Upon implementation, RIT will take ownership of the entire system so that it can operate and maintain it with little or no external assistance. Entura will support the required knowledge transfer and capability development through its training division, the Entura clean energy and water institute.
Financial support for the RIT project was provided via a grant received under Round 2 of the Irrigation Industry Improvement Program (3IP) which forms part of the South Australian River Murray Sustainability (SARMS) Program funded by the Australian Government and administered by Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA).
“We’re pleased to be partnering with RIT to deliver a data collection and management system that will allow them to just concentrate on the data itself, and use it to manage risks and get the best out of their operations,” said Entura’s Business Development Manager for Water.
Entura works with customers across the Asia-Pacific region and Africa to help them improve the safety and performance of their dams, irrigation schemes, pipelines and pumping stations and to deliver innovative data monitoring, management and analysis solutions.
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest water manager, Entura is backed by more than 100 years of planning, building, managing and maintaining water assets.
Helping AusNet Services with stakeholder engagement for transmission line upgrade
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has been appointed by AusNet Services to deliver community and stakeholder engagement strategy development and implementation support for the Moorabool to Ballarat Transmission Line Upgrade.
The existing high voltage 220kV powerline running between the Moorabool and Ballarat terminal stations provides electricity throughout the north-west region of Victoria. The upgrade will ensure a secure and reliable future power supply to the region.
Entura was initially engaged 18 months ago to prepare the planning application and associated community consultation work. The planning permit applications, submitted to Councils in September 2015, have been approved and works to upgrade the transmission line are about to commence. AusNet Services plans to complete the upgrade by early 2017.
“AusNet Services is committed to working with local communities and key stakeholders to keep them informed and up-to-date as the project progresses,” said Anshul Srivastava, senior project manager at AusNet Services.
“We have listened to landowners during the planning phase and have designed our approach to minimise potential impacts to farming activities and local traffic, and we’re pleased to continue to partner with Entura in this next phase of the project.”
As part of this next phase, Entura will support the preparation of the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) and the planning approval conditions through the life of the upgrade works.
“We’re delighted to have been engaged by AusNet Services to continue our involvement in the Moorabool to Ballarat Transmission Line Upgrade,” said Dale Bryce, Customer Strategy and Market Development Director at Entura.
“Working closely with head contractor Zinfra, Entura will ensure the CEMP is delivered according to the permit’s conditions and will undertake stakeholder engagement planning and implementation during construction.”
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer and water manager, Entura has extensive practical knowledge of all commercial aspects of power and water infrastructure acquisition, planning, development, construction and operation. The firm has assisted a number of clients with their community and stakeholder engagement needs, enabling mutual understanding of proposed programs or projects and their anticipated effects.
Entura boosts dams engineering capability with new appointments
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has welcomed two new senior dams engineering specialists to its internationally renowned team.
Marius Jonker and Al Ahmed-Zeki joined the firm as Specialist Dams Engineers, based at Entura’s offices in Melbourne, Victoria and Hobart, Tasmania, respectively.
“We’re pleased to welcome Marius and Al to the team,” said Angus Swindon, Power and Water Director at Entura. “Both bring a wealth of experience to the firm and I’m confident they will add tremendous value to our clients’ projects across Australia and the Asia-pacific region.”
Marius Jonker
Marius brings to Entura over 25 years’ experience gained as in-house engineer and as technical consultant for dam projects in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Swaziland.
His experience spans planning, investigation, design, analysis and construction of dams, project and design management through to decommissioning studies. He has also worked on dam safety projects including managing dam safety programs, safety reviews, individual dam and portfolio risk assessments, safety inspections, instrumentation monitoring, surveillance, operation and maintenance, and dam safety emergency planning.
“I’m delighted to join Entura and am looking forward to partnering with clients and the broader team,” said Marius. “Entura has an impressive track-record on dams engineering, drawing on more than 100 years of experience of planning, building, managing and maintaining the many dams of Tasmania’s hydropower system, due to its connection with Hydro Tasmania, so it is very exciting.”
Before joining Entura, Marius was Principal Dams Engineer and Dams Service Group Manager for Victoria and South Australia at engineering firm GHD. Prior to that, he worked at BKS Pty Ltd (now AECOM) in South Africa as Divisional Director (Dams and Hydropower), and held several other consulting and in-house dams engineering roles.
Marius has a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and a Masters of Engineering (Civil) from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. He has authored several papers on dams engineering and lectured on a number of dams engineering-related topics at workshops and seminars. He is also a technical peer reviewer for the international publication Dam Engineering.
As a member of the Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD), Marius is involved with a number of activities, including the development of several industry guidelines. He is also a member of the South African National Committee on Large Dams and the USA Association of State Dams Safety Officials.
Al Ahmed-Zeki
Al has over 30 years’ experience as a geotechnical engineer specialising in dams. He has worked on projects in Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
His experience comprises dam site investigations, analysis, design, peer reviews, instrumentation and safety and risk assessments. He specialises in the investigation and design of projects of significant geotechnical nature, including ground retention, land reclamation, civil and mine infrastructure, as well as investigations for slope stability and stabilisation. He also has a special interest in geotechnical distress analysis, as part of assessing asset condition, and developing solutions for remediation.
Before joining Entura, Al held several senior dams and geotechnical engineering roles, including Principal Engineer, Geotechnical, at GHD and Senior Geotechnical Engineer at Coffey International Ltd (now TETRATECH). He also had a two-year stint at Entura in the early 2000s as Senior Dams Engineer.
“It’s a pleasure to be back at Entura during a very exciting time for the firm,” said Al. “I’m looking forward to working with our clients to deliver practical and commercially sound advice relating to their civil and dam assets and develop innovative solutions for a range of geotechnical problems.”
Al has a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from the University of Baghdad, Iraq and a Masters of Engineering (Geotechnical) from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He has authored several papers on dams engineering and geotechnics, and regularly undertakes reviews of draft papers submitted for possible publication in the Journal of Geotechnical and Geological Engineering (Springer).
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer and water manager, Entura is backed by more than 100 years of creating energy and maintaining power and water assets.
The firm works with clients to deliver practical and commercially sound solutions across the whole lifecycle of power and water assets, helping them to manage risks and achieve valuable outcomes.
Goldwind appoints Entura as independent advisor on White Rock Wind Farm
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has been appointed by Goldwind Australia to provide independent advice during the construction of the 175 MW White Rock Wind Farm.
Located west of Glen Innes in the New England/Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia, White Rock Wind Farm will be larger than any currently operating wind farm in the state. Once completed, it will produce sufficient clean renewable energy to power approximately 75,000 homes and the project investment will exceed $400 million.
The project is jointly-owned by CECEP Wind-Power Corporation (CECWPC), which holds a 75% interest, and Goldwind, which holds a 25% interest. Goldwind Australia will provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services to the project as well as Warranty Operations and Maintenance during the operations period.
Entura will act as independent advisor to Goldwind Australia during construction, providing engineering design review and site inspections for the balance of plant contract, which includes the main wind farm civil and electrical works.
“We’re pleased to welcome Entura to the White Rock Wind Farm project team,” said John Titchen, Managing Director of Goldwind Australia. “Entura’s wealth of experience in renewable energy generation projects will help ensure the successful delivery of this milestone project for CECWPC and Goldwind.”
Commenting on the appointment, Entura Managing Director Tammy Chu said: “We’re pleased to partner with Goldwind on this exciting project that will contribute to the introduction of more renewable energy to the Australian National Electricity Market.”
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer, Entura can draw on 20 years of experience developing wind farms at the forefront of the industry in Australia. The firm has also been involved in more than 100 advanced and operational wind farm projects totalling more than 20 000 MW in India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, China, the Philippines, New Zealand and the Pacific.
For more information on the project visit the White Rock Wind Farm website.
Innovative pumped storage hydro design by Entura beats expectations
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has developed an innovative design for Genex Power’s Kidston Pumped Storage Hydropower Project in North Queensland, Australia.
Following an extensive project optimisation process, Entura and project partner HydroChina produced a design that has the potential to increase the plant’s head and peaking generation capacity of the project to a maximum of 450 MW over a 5-6 hour period, beating earlier expectations.
“The new design provides the lowest cost per MW of installed capacity and presents the lowest operating and environmental risk,” said Genex Power Managing Director Michael Addison. “Clever thinking and commercial focus has delivered an optimal design solution to maximise the potential of our project.”
Project Director and Principal Consultant, Civil Engineering at Entura, Richard Herweynen, said significant studies and investigations have been undertaken over the past months to provide confidence around this solution.
“Our new design, which provides for a low turkey’s nest dam design for the upper reservoir located on the top of an old waste rock dump, was developed through a detailed options assessment and optimisation process,” explained Mr Herweynen.
“This new configuration incorporates several strategic advantages and removes a number of the previous constraints inherent in the initial concept and, most significantly, enables a substantial increase in the installed capacity of the project from the initial 330 MW to up to 450MW, which is a fantastic outcome for our client.”
The Kidston Pumped Storage Hydropower Project is being developed at the disused Kidston Gold Mine in North Queensland and the feasibility study phase is being supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). There are currently only three pumped storage hydro schemes in Australia.
Pumped storage hydropower has the potential to generate rapid response, flexible power for delivery into Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM). It is a highly efficient form of large-scale energy storage that could help mitigate challenges that may come with the introduction of more wind and solar power into the NEM.
Entura has worked with clients in more than 30 countries over the past few decades – including India, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Tajikistan – assisting with developing, operating and maintaining hydropower assets of all sizes.
More information
Entura welcomes one of India’s most eminent geologists
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has appointed Dr Tapanjyoti Mukhopadhyay to the dual role of Principal Geologist and team manager, based in its New Delhi office, in India.
Dr Mukhopadhyay is one of India’s most eminent geologists, with more than 22 years of experience in hydropower projects ranging from 20 MW to 3000 MW located in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Nigeria and Burundi.
“Dr Mukhopadhyay is very well regarded in the hydropower industry for his technical capabilities and we are delighted to welcome him to Entura,” said Entura’s International Business Development Director and Managing Director for India. “His depth of geological and geotechnical expertise in hydropower projects and extensive experience working at global engineering consulting firms will add great value to Entura’s clients in the South and South-east Asian regions.”
Dr Mukhopadhyay specialises in all aspects of geological and geotechnical works spanning geotechnical investigation, soil/rock mass characterisation and classification, analysis and interpretation for engineering design of tunnelling, underground caverns, slope excavation and protection, geotechnical instrumentation and foundation engineering.
“It’s a very exciting time for Entura and I’m pleased to join the firm to support its development in the South and South-east Asian regions,” said Dr Mukhopadhyay. “The potential for hydropower development in these regions is huge and Entura is well positioned to increasingly add more value to local clients.”
Before joining Entura, Dr Mukhopadhyay spent ten years at SNC-Lavalin as the Lead Geologist, responsible for the firm’s geological and geotechnical works in the region. Prior to that, he spent ten years at Consulting Engineering Services India (now JACOBS) as an engineering geologist working on a range of water infrastructure projects including dam safety, pumped storage and conventional hydropower.
Dr Mukhopadhyay holds a bachelor in geology from Burdwan University and Masters in Applied Geology and Doctorate of Philosophy from the renowned India Institute of Technology. He is also a member of the Indian Society of Engineering Geology.
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer and water manager, Entura is backed by more than 100 years of creating energy and maintaining power and water assets.
The firm works with clients to deliver practical and commercially sound solutions across the whole lifecycle of power and water assets, helping them to manage risks and achieve valuable outcomes.
Entura India appoints new Business Development Manager
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has appointed Mr Abhishek Swarnkar to the role of Business Development Manager.
Based in Entura’s New Delhi office, in India, Mr Swarnkar will focus on business development and sales in the South and South-east Asia regions.
“We are very pleased to welcome Abhishek to Entura,” said Entura’s International Business Development Director and Managing Director for India. “I am confident that his depth of expertise in the hydropower industry and extensive experience in client relationship development will add great value to the firm.”
Abhishek has a degree in mechanical engineering and 12 years’ experience in the hydropower industry. His experience spans hydropower design, project management, business development and sales for electro-mechanical equipment.
Prior to joining Entura, Abhishek was the International Business Development, Sales and Marketing Manager at Voith Hydro, focusing on the South and South-east Asia and Africa regions. In that role, he was involved with strategy development and was responsible for maintaining strong relationships with key accounts, as well as developing new relationships.
“I am looking forward to partnering with new and existing clients in South and South-east Asia to deliver solutions across the whole lifecycle of hydropower and renewable energy projects,” said Mr Swarnkar.
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer and water manager, Entura is backed by more than 100 years of creating energy and maintaining power and water assets.
The firm works with clients to deliver practical and commercially sound solutions across the whole lifecycle of power and water assets, helping them to manage risks and achieve valuable outcomes.
Entura delivers flood forecasting system to Parkes Shire Council
A clever data management system developed by specialist power and water consulting firm Entura is helping to ensure the safety of a major dam in the New South Wales shire of Parkes.
An $11 million safety upgrade of the district’s main dam at Lake Endeavour has just been completed. It included upgrades to the dam wall and spillway, and implementation of an early warning system (EWS) for downstream residents and emergency services.
“The early warning system upgrade will provide real-time monitoring of conditions that could result in water overtopping the Lake Endeavour Dam,” said Andrew Francis – Director of Infrastructure Parkes Shire Council.
“It’s an essential part of our dam safety management strategy, and will allow us to provide alerts to the State Emergency Service and protect downstream residents if we experience those extreme conditions.”
The EWS combines actual dam water levels, from two locations in the catchment area, with data from the Bureau of Meteorology. The data collected from the dam is managed by Entura’s Ajenti Data Management System.
“An effective flood forecasting system is a vital tool for managing the significant risks that floods pose to communities, infrastructure and the environment,” said Dr Fiona Ling, Entura’s Principal Consultant in Hydrology, Resource Management and Investigations.
“If you can clearly understand the likelihood and scale of potential flooding and get accurate and timely warnings, you can better manage water infrastructure and implement safety plans in time to protect assets and communities at risk.”
Ajenti allows real-time observations to be combined with rainfall forecasts, using modelling to determine the likely inflows to the dam and related changes in water level over a seven day forecast period.
“Council staff can monitor the system via a simple interface, but the system is designed to be ‘set and forget’. If water levels are likely to reach a pre-determined level, the system automatically alerts Council staff so they can manage the risk of flood.”
The EWS complements the broader dam upgrade program, which has enhanced the ability of the Endeavour Dam to withstand large flood events. Members of the community and other stakeholders can monitor the key parameters monitored by the EWS at any time via the page on the Parkes Shire Council website.
Flood forecasting is a critical part of managing dam risk and public safety risks across a dam portfolio. As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest water manager and renewable energy producer, Entura provides real-time inflow and flood forecasting and data management solutions to help manage Hydro Tasmania’s own extensive catchments and a complex system including 55 major dams.
“Entura has built on its experience in dam safety to offer flood forecasting expertise to a range of clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region for other important applications, such as providing the advanced flood warnings needed to protect assets and communities at risk, whether in regional areas like Parkes or a large metropolis such as Kuala Lumpur,” said Dr Ling.
Entura appointed to advise on dam investigation and engineering design in Nepal
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has been selected by the Department of Irrigation of the Government of Nepal and the Asian Development Bank to deliver consulting services for the investigation and detailed engineering design of the Nagmati Dam.
Located near Kathmandu, the Nagmati Dam is part of the Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project, which aims to improve water security and resilience to potential climate change impact in the Bagmati River Basin. The project will build on the community’s desire to restore the river environment in the Kathmandu Valley. It will also support the Government’s efforts to improve irrigation development and mitigate the impact of water-induced disasters in the middle and lower reaches of the basin.
“Entura will be the lead consultant for this assignment, which is expected to take 14 months to be completed, in two stages,” said Entura’s International Business Development Director.
“The scope of the initial stage includes the specification and supervision of additional investigation works, additional analysis, and updating the feasibility study,” explained Mr Sharma. “The second stage includes design of access roads, dam design analysis, development of reservoir operation rules, and preparation of tender documents for construction.”
The project will be delivered by a team of specialists from Entura’s offices in Australia and India.
As part of Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest renewable energy producer and water manager, Entura draws on more than 100 years of experience of planning, building, managing and maintaining the many dams of Tasmania’s hydroelectric power system.
Entura has undertaken detailed design for many of Australia’s key new dam projects over the past decade, including Wyaralong Dam and Bromelton Offstream Storage in Queensland, the Samson Brook Pipehead Dam in Western Australia, the enlarged Cotter Dam in the ACT, and the Meander Dam in Tasmania.
The firm has also been working with clients around the globe, undertaking the design of a number of international hydropower projects over the past decade, including Chanju-I in India, Dordi Khola in Nepal, Nam Pha Gani in Laos, and Neusberg in South Africa.
Hydro Tasmania signs Heads of Agreement regarding Entura joint venture
Hydro Tasmania has signed an in-principle agreement with the potential partners in a joint venture aimed at creating growth opportunities for its specialist power and water consulting business Entura.
The Heads of Agreement was signed in Beijing last Friday, as part of the Tasmanian Government’s trade mission to China.
Hydro Tasmania and its co-signatories, PowerChina Huadong and HydroChina (both subsidiaries of PowerChina), will now undertake further assessment and due diligence with the intent of reaching a formal agreement later in the year.
“The Heads of Agreement is a non-binding, in-principle agreement that reflects the desire of the three parties to reach a formal agreement in due course on a joint venture to take Entura forward,” said Hydro Tasmania CEO, Steve Davy.
The parties’ vision for the joint venture is to be a leading specialist power and water consulting firm, delivering services across the project lifecycle to customers in Australia and the Pacific, South and South-east Asia and Africa.
“Entura is already one of the world’s most experienced specialist power and water consulting firms,” said Entura Managing Director, Tammy Chu.
“I believe further growth in capability and coverage created by the potential joint venture will bring great benefit to our clients and it will allow us to continue to grow with them,” said Ms Chu.
A final decision to establish the joint venture will require approval by the Hydro Tasmania Board and the Tasmanian Government, and PowerChina Huadong and HydroChina will require approvals in China and Australia.
Hydro Tasmania explores joint venture to grow Entura business
Hydro Tasmania is exploring the potential of a joint venture with PowerChina to expand the market access of its consulting engineering business Entura.
Entura signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PowerChina subsidiary HydroChina during the Chinese President’s visit to Tasmania in November last year, building on the state’s growing relationship with China. PowerChina is a Chinese Central Government enterprise and ranks 313 among the Fortune Global 500.
The Entura / HydroChina MOU focused on co-operation on the development of opportunities in the energy and water sectors, including hydropower and renewable energy, sustainability and environmental management and power transmission.
Earlier this month, Entura and HydroChina jointly won a bid to work on the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydropower Project in North Queensland, for Genex Power.
“The project was awarded based on the combined capability of the two businesses, and demonstrates how the two businesses can leverage their relationship for mutual benefit,” said Hydro Tasmania CEO Steve Davy.
“In particular, Entura brings its Australian experience to the project and will help identify opportunities for project optimisation, while HydroChina brings a wealth of experience in the development and construction of pumped storage projects.”
Entura is already one of the world’s most experienced specialist power and water consulting firms with a significant number of clients, and a strong reputation in both the Australian and global markets. It offers services that are highly valued by clients.
“The potential joint venture would accelerate Entura’s growth by providing access to a significant project work load for the JV partners, and access to new markets through the broader international presence of the HydroChina/PowerChina group,” said Mr Davy.
“This growth would also provide improved opportunities for Entura’s people.
“Discussions are at an early stage with no firm decisions being made by either party. At this stage, we are having discussions about the strategic and cultural fit of our businesses.”
Subject to Board approval to proceed to the next stage, Hydro Tasmania will continue discussions, with a view to signing a high-level agreement in coming months about how the joint venture might be formed and operate. Following further assessment, negotiations would continue, with the aim of reaching a formal agreement by the end of 2015.
Entura’s employees were briefed about the potential joint venture this afternoon. Consultation with employees will continue, to understand their views on the joint venture opportunity, and these will be part of input into the high-level agreement to be signed later this year.
About the potential joint venture partners
HydroChina and PowerChina Huadong are part of the PowerChina Group.
HydroChina is a subsidiary of PowerChina and is acting as the facilitator within the PowerChina Group for the proposed relationship with Hydro Tasmania. HydroChina provides comprehensive technical services with respect to hydropower and water conservation, and renewable energy development. It engages in site planning, investigation and design, construction and supervision and EPC general contracting. It also has a mandate for investment in hydropower and broader renewable energy projects internationally. In 2014, HydroChina was ranked No. 12 in the top 150 Global Design Firms by annual revenue.
PowerChina Huadong, based in Hangzhou near Shanghai, is a large player in the water and power sector in China and internationally. Traditionally a consulting business within China it has expanded to deliver engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services and invest directly in projects, in addition to expanding its markets internationally.
Key facts and figures on PowerChina Huadong:
- Largest “Design Institute” in the PowerChina Group.
- Approximately 4000 employees, predominantly engineers
- Total assets $US1.3 billion, total revenue $US0.9 billion, EBITDA $US97 million (2014)
- Key markets: Domestic (China); International (South East Asia, South Asia, East Africa, West Africa, Middle East, Latin America)
- Three key segments: Hydropower and Renewables; Urban and Infrastructure; Dam Safety
- Three key products: Design/consultancy; EPC; Investment
Entura appointed to deliver feasibility study for innovative pumped storage hydro project
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has been appointed by Genex Power to deliver a bankable feasibility study for the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydropower Project in North Queensland, Australia.
Situated some 270km North West of Townsville, near the township of Georgetown, the project is located on the site of the historic Kidston Gold Mine. The abandoned mine site contains two large adjacent pits with the potential to act as the upper and lower reservoirs required for pumped storage hydropower generation.
There are currently only three pumped storage hydro schemes in Australia. The Kidston scheme will have an installed nameplate generation capacity of 330 MW and power generated will be sold directly into Australia’s National Electricity Market during times of peak demand.
Commenting to the market on the appointment of Entura, Genex’s Managing Director Michael Addison said: “Entura is a world leader in the planning, design and construction of hydro power stations and we are pleased to have engaged them to manage the bankable feasibility study process.
“Initial engagements between Genex and Entura have been very positive and we look forward to working with the Entura team, which has already indicated scope for improvements on the initial project design. The Genex Board will work closely with Entura to deliver a bankable feasibility study on budget and is on track to complete the work by 30 June 2016.”
Entura will partner with leading Chinese power and design consultants HYDROCHINA in the feasibility phase of the project. In November 2014 the two firms signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on the development of opportunities in the energy and water sectors.
Entura’s Managing Director Tammy Chu said: “As part of Hydro Tasmania, Entura brings a utility-owner perspective, deep local experience, regulatory knowledge and optimisation capability to the Kidston Pumped Storage project, while HYDROCHINA brings a wealth of specialist experience in the development and construction of pumped storage hydro stations.
“We look forward to working with Genex Power’s team and our partners to study how best to deliver a practical and commercially sound solution that will help bring the Kidston Pumped Storage project to life.”
In addition to the feasibility study, Entura will oversee subcontracted investigations, including geotechnical investigations and a bathymetric survey. The firm will also manage environmental and planning approvals for the project site, including specialist reports and community consultation.
Entura has been intimately involved in the planning, design, construction and ongoing operation and maintenance of the 30 hydropower stations, 55 major dams and 212 km of pipelines, tunnels and canals that make up the hydropower asset portfolio of its parent company Hydro Tasmania.
The firm has also worked with clients in more than 30 countries over the past few decades – including India, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Tajikistan – assisting with developing, operating and maintaining hydropower assets of all sizes.
Entura Managing Director elected to IHA Board
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura welcomes the election of its Managing Director, Tammy Chu, to the Board of the International Hydropower Association (IHA).
Members of the association voted over recent weeks, with the deadline for ballot forms closing on Friday 24 July 2015. IHA announced the results over the weekend.
Ms Chu will be one of the Board members representing the East Asia and Pacific region. Her appointment supports the continuation of the long and active role of Entura’s parent company, Hydro Tasmania, in supporting and advancing key IHA initiatives.
“It is a great honour and a pleasure to serve as a member of the IHA Board for the next two years,” said Ms Chu. “I am looking forward to working with the new members to build on the great work delivered by the previous Board to raise the profile of our industry and drive new growth opportunities for the association.”
Ms Chu has extensive managerial and business development experience in the consulting engineering industry within Australia and internationally. As a civil engineer, she specialised in the design and construction of mini-hydro and hydropower systems, project management, hydropower investigations, prefeasibility and feasibility studies, environmental assessments and approvals, resource investigations and resource water management.
An active member of the engineering community, Ms Chu publishes papers on a range of subjects, and presents at conferences regularly. She has also spent time on national and international steering committees in both the water and energy sectors, which has further expanded her understanding and knowledge of world’s best practice.
The first meeting of the new IHA Board will take place in London on 21–23 September 2015, where the new Board members will appoint the president and vice presidents, and confirm the strategy and priorities for the association for the next two years.
Entura helping the Cook Islands on their renewable energy journey
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura is helping the Cook Islands reduce reliance on diesel fuel, as part of the country’s goal to use renewable energy on all islands by 2020.
The Cook Islands is a group of 15 small islands in the Pacific, to the north-east of New Zealand.
Entura will develop preliminary designs for remote area power systems in six islands, and assist the Cook Islands Government in their implementation.
“Energy security and self-sufficiency are essential for remote islands such as Rarotonga, the most populous of the Cook Islands,” said Entura’s Managing Director, Tammy Chu.
“Diesel fuel remains the single largest expense to generate power in these remote locations, so using renewable energy makes good economic sense.”
Climate change poses a particular risk to the Cook Islands due to sea level rise, extreme rainfall events, storm surges, strong winds and extreme high air temperatures. These changes are expected to adversely affect marine and terrestrial environments, giving rise to issues for food security, water resources and biodiversity.
“The commitment to renewable energy is a fundamental prerequisite to sustainable development,” said Richard Neves, Financial Secretary from the Cook Islands Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
“It also underlines the Government’s commitment to addressing climate change, preserving the country’s pristine environment and ecosystems, and also strengthening the level of energy security and therefore sustainable economic growth.”
Entura will assess the technical, environmental, social and economic viability of a transition from diesel to renewables, and make recommendations to the government of the Cook Islands and the Asia Development Bank on the optimum solutions to achieve the project objectives.
In the first phase of the project, the islands of Atiu, Mitiaro, Mangaia and Mauke will be converted from diesel power supply to a solar-battery hybrid system that will supply close to 100% of their energy needs, with diesel as a backup.
The second phase will focus on the islands of Aitutaki and Rarotonga, which have higher power demands. Power systems there will be upgraded to increase levels of renewable energy penetration, and integrate grid stabilisation technology to pave the way for installation of further generation.
As well, Entura will deliver strategic advice to assist with energy policy development for the Cook Islands, and develop practical training for local operations and maintenance workers to enhance their ability to manage the day-to-day operation of renewable energy systems both now and into the future. Institutional strengthening is a key output of the project.
The three-year project is expected to be completed in late 2018.
Approved funding for the project includes an ADB loan of NZD12.98 million, an EU Grant of €5.3 million, committed funding from the Global Environment Facility of USD4.1 million, a product grant of Pacific Environment Community (PEC) USD3.9 million alongside government allocation for dedicated resource and land compensation.
Entura employees contribute to Nepal relief effort
Following the devastating earthquake in Nepal on 25 April, Entura and its employees have joined forces with parent company, Hydro Tasmania, to donate almost A$50,000 to the relief efforts.
An internal fundraising campaign saw Hydro Tasmania group employees donate a total of $22,160, which has been matched by the business.
“We’re very proud of the generosity of our employees, particularly our team in India, who donated one full day’s salary, which demonstrates their commitment to the relief and reconstruction efforts in the region,” said Entura’s Managing Director Tammy Chu.
The funds are being distributed across seven international aid agencies, as well as a specific reconstruction effort in the Lamjung district in western Nepal, where Entura’s India team had been working around the time the earthquake struck.
Entura operates across the Asia pacific region and southern Africa, servicing clients from offices in Australia, India and South Africa.
Supporting affected communities in Nepal
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura is joining forces with its parent company, Hydro Tasmania, to support those affected by the earthquake in Nepal.
Prior to the devastating event on 25 April, employees from Entura’s India office had been working on the 27 MW Dordi-Khola Hydroelectric Project located in the Lamjung district in Western Nepal, 164 km from Kathmandu.
“Fortunately, our people involved in the project were away from the epicentre at the time it hit, and all of them are safe,” said Entura’s Managing Director Tammy Chu.
“Our team in the India office has donated one full day’s salary to the relief effort, which demonstrates their commitment to contributing to the relief and reconstruction efforts in the region.”
The Hydro Tasmania group will donate an initial amount of A$5000 and will also match employee donations to reputable aid agencies up to an additional A$15 000, providing a total of A$20 000.
The full donation value will be known at the end of May. It’s hoped some of the funds will be used in reconstruction efforts in the local area around the Dordi-Khola project.
Entura shares its natural thinking in South Africa
Power and water consulting firm Entura will deliver a full day course, free of charge, to mark the conclusion of the successful project “Powering water supply in South Africa: small hydro opportunities on existing infrastructure” undertaken in partnership with eThekwini Water and Sanitation and REEEP.
Please refer to the below for more details or contact Amanda Ashworth.
Building power and water infrastructure capability in South Africa
Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura has identified opportunities for the South African city of Durban to increase its use of renewable energy, while at the same time driving down water infrastructure operating costs.
Entura received a grant from the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), an international non-profit organisation, to identify opportunities to install mini-hydro (100kW to 1MW) on existing water supply infrastructure. The opportunities identified would enable generation of energy from renewable sources without the need for large and costly new infrastructure.
REEEP’s mission is to accelerate markets for clean energy in developing countries and emerging markets, and provided €148 000 in funding for the project to help ignite potential markets for mini-hydro in medium-sized cities.
“The potential for mini-hydro to transform the energy mix in many cities is considerable. This project is setting the stage for not only Durban, but the wider region as well,” said Eva Oberender, Director of Programme at REEEP.
The project was co-funded by eThekwini Water and Sanitation, a service unit of Durban City Council.
“Durban City Council has a vision of becoming a green city. The focus of Entura’s work was to assess the economic viability of installing mini-hydro schemes on existing infrastructure, such as pipelines and reservoirs, in support of that vision,” said Project Manager, Entura’s Rik Van Der Kley.
“We found there is scope for utilities to add value to their existing operations, with mini-hydro projects of less than 1 megawatt providing viable opportunities. However, greater returns and investment opportunities exist for larger municipalities where projects in the 1-2 megawatt range could be developed.
“Infrastructure owners who invest in mini-hydro as an add-on to their core business can offset their own electricity costs by using the energy generated to run part of their operations, or could earn extra revenue by putting the energy into the local grid.”
An important part of the project was cultivating local knowledge and skills to support identification and development of similar opportunities elsewhere in the region. The project culminated in a full-day training workshop on 5 March for 45 participants, many from partner organisation eThekwini Water and Sanitation, and involving similar utilities from neighbouring municipalities, hydropower developers, engineering firms, and financing agencies. Training was delivered through the Entura clean energy and water institute.
“The project has not only helped us understand what opportunities exist but also provides a framework for taking projects forward,” said Ednick Msweli, Head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation. “The training and documentation that has been delivered as part of this process will also help other municipalities in the region and perhaps even other African countries to undertake similar projects.”
Once implemented, the mini-hydro projects will also contribute to meeting renewable energy targets in South Africa.
