When critical power solutions are needed fast, Australian Power Equipment delivers with speed, sustainability and technical prowess.
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 technical expertise and fast response times. The company’s circular-economy approach reduces waste and delivers cost-effective solutions, while its partnerships with wildlife organisations help to ensure sustainability extends beyond equipment and into broader environmental stewardship.
But what sets APE apart is its ability to respond rapidly when clients face critical challenges.
A recent project for one of its key customers illustrates this difference.
APE was approached by a long-standing client requiring an emergency back-up power supply to keep operations running. The requirement was significant – five megavolt-amperes (MVA) of step-up transformers, configured as 2×2.5MVA mobile transformers, to deliver 11-kilovolt (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.
APE leveraged its available stock equipment while undertaking rapid design modifications to ensure site-specific requirements were met. Its engineering team completed design and review, securing registered professional engineer (RPE) sign-off for the system.
The solution included two 2.5MVA 11/415 transformers – mobile, bunded designs for flexibility and environmental safety, a mobile earthing transformer, which was also bunded, a 10-Amp neutral earthing resistor (NER) with integrated NER monitoring for earth system monitoring, an 11kV ring main unit (RMU) with inter-tripping for reliable protection. All of the equipment was pre-commissioned prior to shipping to ensure seamless installation
Mobility was a critical factor and all equipment was therefore delivered in mobile form, allowing easy installation and rapid demobilisation at the project’s conclusion.
Owing to the 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 APE’s delivery and installation partners.
“The speed of delivery in this case was critical,” APE director Andrew Cockbain said. “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.
While speed and on-budget delivery were the defining features 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. Finally, 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 1 and Tier 2 clients focus on the sustainability of their supply chain,” APE director Abby Crawford said.
“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 [environmental, social and governance] commitments.”
The APE team understands that the mining and resources sector faces ever-increasing challenges in balancing reliability, cost and sustainability. Its 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.
The successful delivery of this urgent back-up power solution highlights its capability to combine technical excellence with sustainability, agility and collaboration.
As APE continues to expand its offerings, it remains committed to supporting clients with solutions that not only solve immediate challenges but contribute to a more sustainable future for Australia’s power and resources industries.
This feature appeared in the November issue of Australian Mining magazine. Get 50 per cent off your Australian Mining annual magazine subscription during our Black Friday sale. Visit our subscription page and use the code: AMBF25. Ends on 27 November 2025.
