UGL secures $296m worth of contracts in utilities & renewables sectors

CIMIC Group company UGL starts the new year strong with the announcement of new design, engineering, procurement and construction contracts in the utilities and renewables sectors in Queensland and South Australia. 

“We are proud to be supporting the growth of the Australian renewable energy market with these projects. UGL has deep experience in critical power infrastructure across transmission lines, solar farms and other renewables, and recently competed work on the Victorian Big Battery project in Victoria and the Wallgrove Grid Battery project in NSW,” CIMIC Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Juan Santamaria said. 

The first contract is for the design and construction of two 330kV switching stations as well as the construction of about 65 kilometres of double circuit transmission line as part of Powerlink’s MacIntyre Wind Farm Precinct Connection project in Queensland’s south west. 

The $1.96 billion MacIntyre Wind Farm is going to be developed by ACCIONA in partnership with CleanCo. This renewable energy project will have a capacity of 1,026MW and it is set to be one of the largest onshore wind farm developments in the world, expected to be operational in 2024. 

The MacIntyre Wind Farm project is expected to create up to 400 new jobs. 

The second contract award is for the design and construction of the Mica Creek Solar Farm Project in Queensland’s Mt Isa region. Scope of works under this contract includes the delivery of an 88MW solar farm as well as a substation and transmission line. 

The contract award follows APA Group – the project developer – entering into a variation of an offtake agreement with Mount Isa Mines Limited (MIM). The agreement with the Glencore subsidiary is for a 15-year supply of renewable energy from the Mica Creek Solar Farm. 

The entire Mica Creek Solar Farm Project is expected to create about 300 jobs at peak construction. 

The third and last contract secured by UGL is for the engineering, procurement and construction of an 87MW solar farm and substation upgrades at Tailem Bend in South Australia for Vena Energy. 

The Tailem Bend Solar Project Stage 2 is going to rise adjacent the Stage 1 solar farm. The second stage solar farm will have a peak capacity of 118MW and will be able to power up to 37,000 homes annually once the solar farm is fully operational. This project will also include provisions for a 40MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which will be connected to the National Electricity Market via ElectraNet’s Tailem Bend Substation. 

At peak construction, the Tailem Bend Solar Project Stage 2 is expected to support up to 200 jobs. 

“UGL is a market leader in Australian renewables projects, and in the design and construction of high voltage transmission lines. The Mica Creek project will be UGL’s third solar project for APA Group and the Tailem Bend 2 project is a continuation of the work we performed with Vena Energy on the adjacent site, both great examples of how UGL enjoys strong relationships with our clients, and we look forward to continuing our relationships with them through these contract wins,” UGL Managing Director Doug Moss said. 

All three contract awards have a combined value of $296 million. 

Works for each contract commenced in late 2021 and are due to be completed in 2023. 

Source: UGL; CIMIC Group; Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Renewables Now; The North West Star; Vena Energy Australia; APA Group; ACCIONA – MacIntyre Wind Farm; Inside Construction