Powering Continuity: How Australian Power Equipment Responded to an Urgent Mining Backup Power Challenge

In today’s mining and resources sector, reliable power is not just an operational necessity—it is a critical enabler of safety, productivity, and business continuity. For Australian Power Equipment (APE), meeting those needs goes hand in hand with a commitment to sustainability and innovation.

Founded with a mission to provide new and refurbished high-voltage equipment to Australia’s mining, tunnelling, renewables, agribusiness and defence sectors, APE has quickly become a trusted partner for clients requiring both technical expertise and fast response times. Our circular-economy approach reduces waste and delivers cost-effective solutions, while our partnerships with wildlife organisations ensure that sustainability extends beyond equipment and into broader environmental stewardship.

But what sets APE apart is our ability to respond rapidly when clients face critical challenges. A recent project for a key customer illustrates this difference.

The Challenge: Urgent Backup Power for a Mining Client

APE was approached by a long-standing client requiring an emergency backup power supply to keep operations running. The requirement was significant—5 MVA of step-up transformers, configured as 2 x 2.5 MVA mobile transformers, to deliver 11 kV power over a six-week period.

The challenge was compounded by the timeline. Delivery was required within just two weeks, including design adjustments, approvals, equipment preparation, and commissioning. Meeting this schedule would be demanding under any circumstances, but APE’s team was determined to deliver.

The Solution: Agility and Expertise in Action

To meet the deadline, APE leveraged its available stock equipment while undertaking rapid design modifications to ensure site-specific requirements were met. Our engineering team completed design and review processes, securing Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) sign-off for the system.

The solution included:

• 2 x 2.5 MVA 11/415 transformers – mobile, bunded designs for flexibility and environmental safety

• 1 x mobile earthing transformer, also bunded

• 10 Amp neutral earthing resistor (NER) with integrated NER monitoring for earth system monitoring.

• 11 kV Ring Main Unit (RMU) with inter-tripping for reliable protection

• All equipment pre-commissioned prior to shipping to ensure seamless installation

Mobility was a critical factor: all equipment was delivered in mobile form, allowing easy installation and rapid demobilisation at the project’s conclusion.

The Outcome: Delivery on Time, on Budget, and Without Compromise

Thanks to close coordination between APE’s engineering, operations, and logistics teams, the entire project was delivered within the two-week timeframe. Equipment arrived pre-commissioned, enabling swift on-site installation alongside our delivery and installation partners.

“The speed of delivery in this case was critical,” said Andrew Cockbain, Director of Australian Power Equipment. “In the mining sector, even short delays in power supply can lead to costly shutdowns. By acting quickly and drawing on both our technical expertise and our stockholding capability, we ensured our client avoided significant downtime and financial impact.”

The system was commissioned without issue and performed reliably throughout the six-week operational period, ensuring the client’s power needs were fully supported. Importantly, the project was delivered on budget and in line with APE’s sustainability practices, including bunded designs to prevent environmental risk and circular-economy principles in equipment sourcing.

Sustainability at the Core

While speed of delivery was the defining feature of this project, it did not come at the expense of sustainability—a principle embedded in every APE initiative.

• By drawing on refurbished and readily available stock equipment, APE minimised the environmental footprint of manufacturing new assets.

• Mobile bunded designs ensured the highest standards of environmental protection during operation.

• Pre-commissioning reduced the risk of additional site works, avoiding unnecessary resource use.

“As we look across the mining and infrastructure sectors, we are seeing more and more of our tier one and tier two clients focus on the sustainability of their supply chain,” said Abby Crawford, Director of Australian Power Equipment. “Our circular-economy model and investment in refurbished solutions not only reduce waste but also give clients confidence that their procurement choices align with their ESG commitments.”

This project exemplifies how agility and sustainability can work hand in hand.

APE’s Ongoing Commitment

At Australian Power Equipment, we understand that the mining and resources sector faces ever-increasing challenges in balancing reliability, cost, and sustainability. Our role is to provide solutions that keep critical operations powered—whether through rapid response to emergencies or through long-term partnerships focused on innovation and environmental responsibility.