South West Sydney Hospital Power Infrastructure & Distribution Upgrade

Ryan Wilks completed the power infrastructure & distribution upgrade at one of Sydney’s main hospitals. Extensive site surveys & final designs facilitated detailed planning & coordination of installations throughout this operational facility. The infrastructure upgrade replaced two main switchboards and a 750kVA generator, with three new main switchboards, two new paralleled 1100kVA generators, 10,000-litre underground bulk tank & new Main Mechanical Services Switchboard. The distribution upgrade replaced 76 new submains (over 14km of cable) and 48 distribution boards. The staged works required over 186 approval notices & 85 meticulously coordinated shutdowns and disruptions in a fluid and live-clinical setting (the majority of which were afterhours).

This project’s upgrade ensures improved electrical safety & power reliability, which in turn provides a better outcome safeguarding patients & staff, for this facility and its ability to continue to provide critical health care, 24/7, to the general public.

Planned, tendered and awarded during COVID, the project was delivered at time starting with the NSW Health Order / ‘Construction Pause’, and during evolving hospital and project delivery operational challenges, by a dedicated and committed team, driven to achieve these improved outcomes for the healthcare facility.

Installation Works;

Comprehensive site survey of electrical equipment, reticulation, and cable pathways facilitating final design of switchboards, coordination of staged construction activities, and sequential cutover planning.
Early excavation for new MSB consumer mains, and new underground 10,000L bulk tank, within the operational loading dock and service driveway.

Replacement & staged shutdown and cutover of 2 x new Main Switch Boards, 1 x Main Mechanical Switch Board, 3 Main Distribution Boards, 48 Essential & Non-Essential Disruption Board.
Replacement & staged installation 2 x 1100KVA paralleled Emergency Standby Diesel Generators, configured for 2N redundancy, synchronised Close Trip Connection (SCTT) with the utility (Ausgrid).
Installation of a new MSB3 with a standalone street supply from a new substation kiosk (by others), including associated consumer mains trenching and integration for non-essential mechanical services. Replacement of the MSSB and new submains for all local MCC switchboards.
Tailored temporary power and lighting solutions for each of the planned shutdown events.
Installation of a new MSB3 with a standalone street supply from a new substation kiosk.
186 approved construction notices & executed works within this live and operation hospital
Over 14,000 meters of cabling hauling throughout the facility
Restoration of 149 fire barrier penetrations

Performance of electrical upgrade works in a live, 24/7 busy acute-health-care setting, where there was a Zero-Tolerance & Zero-Risk-Appetite for any type of unplanned or unmitigated safety incident or risk (directly or indirectly)

Over 38,000 project hours – Only one Medical Treatment Injury (MTI) to an electrical worker.
46 reviews and revisions of project Risk Assessment / Safe Work Method Statements
Over 120 Weekly toolbox talks, over 550 WHS inspections & audits, over 300 Workplace Inspections consulted on safe work practices.
Critical site inspections initiated for high-risk clinical or operational areas, ensuring comprehensive safety consultations.
Adherence to strict infection control processes documented in SWMSs and frequently updated with changing pandemic safety protocols and the ensuring that clinical risks as well as electrical engineering risks were identified and fully mitigated to ensure no risk to medical departments or patient / worker / staff safety.

Sustainability & Environmental

Energy-efficient technologies adopted such as new Cummins generators ensured ongoing cost savings through reducing operational expenses such as fuel, power consumption & maintenance.
Power quality monitoring identified areas for power correction improvement, reducing lifetime running electrical costs.
Reduced sized excavator plant, reducing fuel consumption, noise, & vibration
Testing, cleaning, and recycling of existing bulk tank diesel 4,000 litres of fuel
Remediation of an existing underground bulk tank to full EPA Regulations, ensuring a safe decommissioning process & eliminating construction and waste environmental impacts.
Approximately 170 cubic meters (182 tons) of clean fill were recycled from excavation works, reducing landfill waste & promoting recycling efforts.
The Contractor’s partnering with reputable suppliers not only focused on improved system reliability and performance but also on meeting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets, striving for carbon neutrality by 2025.
Over 1,700 manhours invested in removing redundant services from the facility resulting in approximately 21 tons of recycled metal.
15 existing electrical submains re-purposed through crimping or connection link boxes saved approximately 1,750 meters of cable from manufacture, promoting resource efficiency.