News

200-tonne OSOM load to hit the road, bound for Lake Macquarie

A 200-tonne oversize and overmass (OSOM) load carrying a power transformer will depart from the Port of Newcastle tomorrow evening, with changed overnight traffic conditions in place.

The 70-metre long load will depart from the Port of Newcastle at 8pm on Thursday July 4, and make its way to Eraring Power Station.

It will travel via Industrial Drive, Maitland Road, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive and onto the M1 Pacific Motorway.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is advising motorists in the area to take care, slow down and allow extra travel time.

To minimise the impact to motorists, the OSOM load will be travelling at night under escort and, due to its size, will be travelling at significantly reduced speeds.

There will be opportunities to pass the load under supervision, however there will be delays.

“For the safety of all road users, motorists are advised to slow down and exercise caution when approaching or passing the OSOM load, and to follow all instructions given by the traffic escort,” TfNSW said in a statement.

The move is being facilitated by Over Dimensional Lift & Shift, which specialises in heavy and over-dimensional haulage.

The OSOM load’s final destination is the Eraring Power Station, a black coal-fired power station located on the shores of Lake Macquarie, approximately 40km south of Newcastle. It has been operated by Origin Energy since being acquired from the NSW Government in 2013.

Though the site was due to close in August 2025, it was recently announced that Origin had reached an agreement with the NSW Government to delay the retirement of the site for at least another two years, meaning it will remain in use until at least August 2027.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Send this to a friend