APPLICATION OF 33kV IN A

NSW
S U UNDERGROUND
G OU MINE
Wayne Jaques/Jason Ingham
Newcrest Mining Ltd
 THE PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM

How do we reticulate power to the Cadia East 
H d ti l t t th C di E t
underground mine at 33kV to meet the 
significant power demands of the project and 
i ifi t d d f th j t d
still satisfy or exceed the stringent safety 
requirements of the mining industry?
i t f th i i i d t ?
 PROJECT OVERVIEW
PROJECT OVERVIEW 
• Cadia
Cadia East will be 
East will be
Australia’s largest 
underground mine
underground mine
• Peak site electrical 
load ~ 180MVA
• Consume over 1.5% of 
the state’s electricity
 THE PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM
• Industry
Industry standard voltage of 11kV created design and 
standard voltage of 11kV created design and
protection issues due to long cable runs and peak 
power demands that were significantly reduced if 
33kV was selected
• 33kV has not been extensively reticulated in an 
underground mine in NSW before ‐
d d i i NSW b f thi
this was 
identified as a significant project risk for Cadia East
 THE SOLUTION
THE SOLUTION
• 33kV reticulation system 
identified as the best
identified as the best 
solution
• 31 km of HV cabling
31 km of HV cabling
• 7 major electrical substations
• 18 transformers rated at 
18 transformers rated at
33kV 
• $18M investment
$18M investment
 RISK MANAGEMENT
RISK MANAGEMENT
• HAZOP
HAZOP used early in 
used early in
project design process
• Cross section of 
Cross section of
personnel involved
• HAZOP outcomes used 
to drive the design
 CONSULTATION PROCESS
CONSULTATION PROCESS
• Consultation with designers, 
owners, operators, suppliers, 
installers and maintainers
• Commenced early 2009
Commenced early 2009
• Design review and input 
from NSW Mine Safety 
O
Operations : Electrical 
ti El t i l
Engineering
 BENEFITS/EFFECTS
/
• Detailed risk assessment led to design improvements such as:
‐ Introduction of pre fab switchrooms in UG environment
‐ Relocation of HV protection relays from field switchgear to 
within conditioned switchroom environment
‐ Increased operational awareness of 33kV HV cabling
Increased operational awareness of 33kV HV cabling
‐ Restriction of access to high voltage equipment through 
barriers, signage, fences and lockable switchrooms
, g g ,
‐ Reduction in the max earth fault currents (100A at 33kV vs 
200A at 11kV)
‐ Reduced HV cabling (31km of 33kV vs 93km of 11kV)
 TRANSFERABILITY
• 33kV is a step change in NSW UG electrical reticulation 
standards
• The increasing power demands of mining operations is 
pushing the envelope of standard 11kV systems – 33kV is an 
effective and safe system for meeting these demands
effective and safe system for meeting these demands
• 33kV UG at Cadia East has created transferability 
opportunities across the NSW mining industry
QUESTIONS