Raston Group successfully performed a major infrastructure supply upgrade to the F9 buildings at Macquarie University. The augmentation works, organised directly through Macquarie University, formed an integral part of an overall project to decommission an old substation and main switchboard supplying multiple buildings throughout the university.

The upgrades incorporated a new underground pathway network to redivert the electrical supplies to F9A, F9B and F9C to alternative main switchboards located adjacent to Science Road.

Raston Group project managed all civil works required to facilitate the new underground network, including:

• Investigation and location of existing underground services prior to commencement of work
• Concrete cutting/road sawing
• Trenching (approximately 150m)
• Under road boring (horizontal drilling) (approximately 80m)
• Removal of spoil, backfilling and compaction of new fill material.
• Installation of underground conduit and pit systems.
• Restoration of garden beds, road way and concrete pathways.
• Traffic management, temporary fencing and safety precautions around civil works

The power supply upgrade works included the:

• Installation of a new 1000 Amp external main distribution board.
• Supply & installation of 1200 Amp submains cables to the new external main DB.
• Supply & installation of 400 Amp submains to Building F9C
• Supply & installation of 200 Amp submains to Building F9B.
• Supply & installation of 630 Amp submains to a mechanical switchboard in Building F9A.
• Redirection of submains for Building F9A to the new external main DB.
• Supply & installation of 100 Amp submains to new demountable building.

The outage and change-over of supply to the new infrastructure was carefully considered and programmed with all the relevant stakeholders to avoid any major disruptions to the university. A temporary generator was provided to the F9A building (Animal House) as a measure to maintain power to vital laboratory experiments that were being performed at the time of the outage.

The outage was performed over one day where all services were tested, isolated, relocated and re-energised successfully. With the majority of services being transferred to new main switchboards and networks, Raston Group exercised a methodical approach to the testing and re-energising of services, ensuring the restoration of power, correct polarity and correct phase rotation were achieved in all affected buildings.

During the course of the project Raston Group were also engaged to provide a new submain supply for the Chancellery Building. This work involved the relocation of supply to building E11A to the Regional Main Switchboard in E8A, including the joining of 2, 240mm 4 core Paper Lead Insulated (PILC) Cables within the services tunnel.

The change over of this critical supply was also performed during the main power outage.

Following the completion of the all works, Ausgrid performed an inspection on the entire installation, passing all elements provided by Raston Group, much to the satisfaction of the Macquarie University project managers.