Client name: BHP Billiton

Location: Newman, Western Australia

Total project value: $20 million

Duration: 2-4 years (est.)

Services provided: Design, site support, factory and site acceptance testing, commissioning

BHP billiton newman switchboard replacements

Tight timing, planning and space requirements shaped Tetra Tech Proteus’ solution when client BHP Billiton found thirty of its high- and low-voltage switchboards at its iron ore operations around Newman did not comply with safety and operational standards.

This ongoing project demands Tetra Tech Proteus’ expertise in design, site support, factory and site acceptance testing, and commissioning in order to procure and install new switchboards and integrate them into the plant and meet Western Australia’s Iron Ore Standards as well as Australian Standards for brownfields operations. So far, 10 switchboards have been commissioned and 25 procured, all on schedule and without any recordable incidents. Key features include:

• Timing and planning- executed only during shutdowns, this project demanded highly detailed planning and close communication with BHP Billiton’s iron ore team to ensure project work fits their schedules.
• Tight space requirements- Newman is a brownfields operation with switchboards often installed within very compact footprints.