New Zealand's largest thermal power station is benefiting from the use of a five-channel TaitNet Private trunked radio system.

The Huntly plant operated by Genesis Power generates 1000 MegaWatts of electricity from coal and gas.

Genesis recently replaced the four separate radio communications systems used by different operational areas at the plant with the single TaitNet system.

Genesis Engineer Steve Wong says a key advantage of the new system is the ability for different work groups to communicate with one another.

"Also the previous systems were voice only, with no data or PABX interfaces, and they were operating without back-up power or duplicated audio linking circuits," says Steve.

"We were also looking to improve on the radio coverage which had been poor because of the nature of the construction of the buildings on-site and the heavy electrical and mechanical machinery."

Steve says the new system is performing above expectations. "Staff are coming to grips with the new functionality and we have coverage in some areas where we haven't had previously."

The one TaitNet site provides coverage around the 71 hectare plant, along a 3km overland coal conveyer and to ash ponds 3kms north of the plant. Tait and Genesis are also looking at options for extending radio coverage to areas like the underground power cable tunnels at the plant.

Twenty six intrinsically safe Tait portables are used on the communications system along with five Tait T2000 mobiles. One of the mobiles features dual control heads, enabling it to be operated by staff on different sides of a control desk.

The system is largely used for team communications by five different work groups at the plant. It is also programmed with an emergency call option.

Two T1810 channel controllers (each capable of managing four channels) provide the system intelligence.