Brunswick Terminal Station has been in operation since 1939, servicing Melbourne’s inner suburbs. At the request of CitiPower and AEMO, AusNet Services initiated the upgrade of the Terminal Station with a total project capital spend of around $250M. AECOM was awarded the detailed electrical, civil and structural design for this project in November 2012 with the commitment to fast track the design by the end of August 2013. After the successful delivery of these services, AECOM was contracted to provide site construction support for the project.

The Brunswick Terminal Station upgrade is vital to secure the existing electricity supply, and ultimately to supply an additional 65,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs. AusNet Services was seeking a quick design turnaround on this project due to local load growth projections, community expectations, and local government requirements, and were looking for an organisation that could assist them throughout the lifecycle of the project including successful commissioning. Following our assessment of the project environmental risks in a Construction Environmental Management Plan, AECOM provided detailed electrical, civil and structural design for the project. After completing the design stage AECOM was contracted to provide site construction support and ensure a smooth progression from design through construction to operation.

The construction stage of the upgrade involved:

  • Removing existing buildings, outdoor electrical equipment and 25 m tower
  • Relocating 22kV cable around the station out of the way of the new construction
  • Construction of two new buildings housing the new 220kV and 66kV GIS equipment
  • Construction of two retaining walls
  • Construction of a new oil containment system
  • Bulk earthworks, new roads, drainage and services
  • Improved landscaping and fencing

AECOM successfully provided support throughout the lifecycle of the project while managing several stakeholders including the various departments within AusNet Services, design service providers, different construction partners, and the local Council and community who were heavily involved in the planning process for this site. To achieve the required level of communication between all the stakeholders and to ensure timely delivery of this project, the AECOM design team worked collaboratively with AusNet Services and their other delivery partners in an integrated co-located environment. This co-location occurred both at the design stage within the AECOM office and on site during the construction stage of the project.

The site was successfully commissioned and we are now finalising the documentation for AusNet Services.