Marsh has been appointed risk manager for the Australia-Asia PowerLink project, a solar-powered facility by Sun Cable to supply electricity to Darwin and Singapore.

Sun Cable, an Australian-Singapore venture, says the broker is part of a global expert team that it has assembled to deliver the multi-gigawatt scale project.

PwC, global engineers Bechtel and Hatch as well as infrastructure consultant SMEC of Singapore are the other experts on the team.

“We are excited to be part of the team helping to deliver [the Australia-Asia PowerLink], which represents a seismic shift in the way Australia exports energy to the world,” Marsh Pacific CEO Nick Harris said.

“Sun Cable’s proactive approach to risk management should ensure that challenges are addressed early and effectively, reducing the risk of delay.

“Our global team of experts looks forward to collaborating with the wider delivery team.”

He says the project represents an important milestone in accelerating the energy transition in the Asia Pacific region and further develops the huge potential of electricity grid interconnector technology.

Sun Cable says construction of the project, which costs more than $30 billion, will start in late 2023. The first supply of electricity to Darwin is expected to start in 2026 and to Singapore in 2027.

The Australia-Asia PowerLink is a high-capacity solar generation, storage, and transmission system that will transmit reliable, dispatchable renewable electricity from the Barkly Region of the NT to the two markets.

Its key components include a solar farm precinct, a high voltage direct current overhead transmission line from the solar farm to Darwin and a utility scale battery in the Australian city. There are also a subsea cable from Darwin to Singapore and a utility-scale battery in the south-east Asian city-state.

“This project is designed to significantly accelerate the carbon zero ambitions of the region and we have brought together a dream team to bring it to fruition,” Sun Cable CEO David Griffin said.