Maintenance work on 18 transmission towers to counter the impacts of the Far North’s wet tropic environment, and ensure a continued safe, reliable energy supply to the Cairns region has been completed.
The towers are part of the transmission line connecting Barron Gorge Power Station to the transmission grid. This important structural work required a specialist refit and paint crew to complete the works, which secured the ongoing safe, cost effective and reliable operation of the transmission network into the future.
The wet tropic location of the transmission towers required regular monitoring to ensure the integrity of the towers’ hardware and general condition. While structural refit works are a standard part of Powerlink’s maintenance program, the harshness of the wet tropics environment meant we had to pay particular attention to these towers.
Work focused on examining the structural integrity of the towers, checking which nuts and bolts needed replacing, and then moved on to a high pressure water wash removing mould from the towers to prepare for painting.
All towers were accessible by 4WD, with the exception of two towers located near the well-known Kuranda Scenic Railway Line. Powerlink worked closely with Queensland Rail to gain the necessary site access. Our team is well versed at getting the job done safely and efficiently to minimise impacts.
Powerlink’s transmission network plays an important role in powering the Queensland economy, helping deliver electricity to five million Queenslanders.
