NBN Co appoints new contractor in SA

NBN Co has awarded a new three-year contract for the rollout of fibre to 300,000 premises in South Australia.

Energy company SA Power Networks will design and construct the local and distribution network that runs fibre from a fibre access node through each street in the coverage area, NBN Co said in a statement.

The utility built the first NBN release site in Willunga in the state’s south-west. SA Power Networks’ contract is extendable by two one-year periods. It will put 400 people to work on the contract at peak. 

NBN Co declined to disclose the value of the deal.

Troubled NBN contractor Syntheo, a joint venture between Lend Lease and Service Stream, was granted a contract for the rollout of fibre in the state nearly two years ago.

The new SA contract is in addition to Syntheo’s and does not affect that agreement, which expires in November, NBN Co said.

Syntheo was forced to give back the remainder of its NBN work in the Northern Territory after being blamed by NBN Co for a decrease in forecasted premises passed earlier this year.

Parent Service Stream has been in a trading halt for the last month and will remain voluntarily suspended for another month in order to review the joint venture.