The height of safety
Glenellen Solar Farm is a 260MW renewable energy facility located 2km north-east of Jindera in the Greater Hume Shire, New South Wales. Spanning 300 hectares with around 394,000 solar panels, it is expected to generate enough electricity for 100,000 homes.
Monford Group Pty Ltd, the EPC contractor for the project, engaged Anchor Safe to design, supply, and install safe access solutions for the site’s Power Conversion Units (PCUs). Several of these units were elevated above ground due to sloping terrain and floodplain requirements, making routine access difficult and creating potential safety risks. On other solar sites, temporary ground build-up around inverter units had caused additional hazards, highlighting the need for a permanent, engineered solution. PCUs convert direct current (DC) from the panels into grid-compatible alternating current (AC) and require regular inspection and maintenance, so safe access to all sides of the units was critical.
Delivering results from top to bottom
Anchor Safe designed, engineered, supplied, and installed a 2-metre-wide modular aluminium platform system providing full perimeter access to each PCU. Dual 900mm-wide stairs allow safe entry and egress while giving technicians room for inverter doors to fully swing open, streamlining setup and ongoing servicing and improving day-to-day operations for onsite teams.
The platforms are lightweight yet durable, engineered to a 5kPa live load rating to support personnel, tools, and replacement components during servicing. Corrosion-resistant and quick to install, the aluminium construction reduced foundation demands and allowed flexible integration with the site’s challenging terrain.
Through careful design and a focus on compliance, safety, usability, and long-term durability, Anchor Safe delivered a practical, robust solution. The completed platforms now provide safe, efficient, and compliant access to critical infrastructure, supporting Glenellen Solar Farm’s ongoing performance and reliability for years to come.
