Adani Renewables Australia’s Rugby Run solar farm has reached another milestone, with the team safely and successfully energising its main transformer.

In conjunction with Powerlink, the team has now energised the 132kV main switchyard transformer, as well as the Adani 33kV switch-room and services transformer.

Adani Renewables Australia Business Manager, Derek Chapman, said these events mean the project is now a step closer to providing energy to our customers.

“It has been a great start to the year for the team at Rugby Run with the electrical connection works and energising of the solar farm now complete,” Mr Chapman said.

“We’ll now move onto energy generation trials, and once complete, we can get on with delivering up to 65MW and 185,000MWh of power each year, which is equivalent to the amount of energy it takes to power 23,000 homes annually.”

The Rugby Run solar farm, located near Moranbah, is Adani Renewables Australia’s first solar farm. The project achieved mechanical completion in November 2018, with more than 247,000 solar panels installed.

At the peak of construction, the project generated more than 175 jobs, with local Queensland contractors sourced from Clermont, Chinchilla, Bowen and Townsville.

The solar farm is expected to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2019, with the potential to expand to a 170MW farm at a later date.

Rugby Run solar farm technical details:

– 1.3 million galvanized zip ties to be used in the stringing of electrical cables

– More than 247,000 solar panels installed

– 175 jobs at peak construction

– 18km of fence line installed

– 7.2km of road built to access site

– 6,500 holes pre-drilled

– The solar panels rotate to track the sun and maximize efficiency

– The solar panels are programmed to rest at an angle that withstands inclement wind and weather conditions.

– 65MW solar farm with the capacity to expand to 170MW.