30/06/2025
🎉 Milestone Achieved at Karapiro Power Station! 🎉
On Thursday 19 June 2025, the final of three ‘generation unit penstock intake gates’ was safely and successfully installed at Mercury’s Karapiro Power Station, marking the completion of a complex four- and a half-year project!
Each gate—over 40 tonnes—was meticulously fabricated and precision-machined by our skilled team at Ashhurst Engineering & Construction (AEC) along with fabrication of the gate framework to the same very high tolerances. This final gate, like its predecessors, took nearly a year to complete before being transported to site by heavy haulage. Before installation can take place, the team had been hard at work on site working through the removal of the original embedded components and reinstatement of the gate framework in the lead up to the installation.
A huge shoutout to our PropellWorks sister company Contract Mechanical Services (CMS), who carried out 12 months of preparation work to ensure a seamless fit. Also, sincere thanks to Sparrow Construction Ltd for their outstanding civil works, and McLeod Cranes for their consistent lift support and professional excellence throughout the project.
The team has maintained an outstanding safety performance throughout this project, both in fabrication and on-site. Despite the significant risks of working at height, in confined spaces, and in challenging weather, we’ve adhered to strict safety protocols, ensuring a secure environment during high-risk lifts and other hazardous tasks. Safety has always been our top priority, as has our interface with Mercury’s site personnel to ensure compliance with Mercury site standards.
As we now move into commissioning alongside Mercury over the next month, before demobilisation, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the dedicated Mercury team who were the driving force behind this project’s success.
🙏 Special thanks to: John Kennedy, Bede Geoghegan, and Joselito Villena
Your leadership, collaboration, and commitment made all the difference — we truly valued working alongside you.
Great to have one of our PropellWorks Board Members – Dave Hoskin there on the day to support us and share in this milestone.
To Mercury – thank you again for the trust and opportunity. And to everyone who has played a part in this journey. Your support, collaboration, and dedication have made all the difference and AEC is incredibly grateful for everything we’ve accomplished together. Here’s to another successful collaboration! 💪🔧⚙️
# Bay Sandblasters
