Wallerawang Power Station

Wallerawang Power Station

Wallerawang Power Station
Location of Wallerawang Power Station in New South Wales
Country Australia
Location Wallerawang, New South Wales
Coordinates 33°24′14″S 150°5′4″E / 33.40389°S 150.08444°E / -33.40389; 150.08444Coordinates: 33°24′14″S 150°5′4″E / 33.40389°S 150.08444°E / -33.40389; 150.08444
Status Shut Down
Commission date 1957 (A)
1961 (B)
1976 (C)
Owner(s) EnergyAustralia
Thermal power station
Primary fuel Thermal coal
Power generation
Units operational 2
Make and model C. A. Parsons and Company
Nameplate capacity 1,000 megawatts (1,300,000 hp)
Website
Mt Piper & Wallerawang Power Stations at www.energyaustralia.com.au

Wallerawang Power Station is a thermal coal power station, located near Wallerawang, in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. The power station is equipped with two turbo-alternators of 500 megawatts (670,000 hp) each, supplied by C. A. Parsons and Company of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Due to dwindling demand, the first of the two generating units was mothballed in January 2013, and the second in April 2014.

Features and capacity

Wallerawang was originally built with four British Thompson Houston 30 megawatts (40,000 hp) single cylinder generators, completed in 1957-1959. Steam was supplied to each generator by a John Thompson 'Etaflow' boiler at a rate of 150,000 kilograms per hour (330,000 lb/h) at 600 pounds per square inch (4,100 kPa) and 540 °F (282 °C). This was referred to as Wallerawang A.

Wallerawang B consisted of two General Electric 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) 2–cylinder turbines with hydrogen cooled generators completed in 1961. Steam was supplied to each generator by a John Thompson boiler at a rate of 270,000 kilograms per hour (600,000 lb/h) at 900 pounds per square inch (6,200 kPa) and 900 °F (482 °C). Wallerawang A and B have both been decommissioned.

The two 500 megawatts (670,000 hp) units in the current Wallerawang C station were completed in 1976 and 1980. Due to dwindling energy demand, in January 2013 the NSW government-owned corporation, Delta Electricity, mothballed one of the two remaining units of Wallerawang C for twelve months.[1][2] The other was also mothballed 15 months later.[3]

The coal for Wallerawang Power Station comes from mines in the local area, delivered by private road. 75% of the coal comes from the Centennial Coal-owned Angus Place colliery.

Wallerawang Power Station draws its cooling water from Lake Wallace and Thompson's Creek dam, fresh water lakes on the Coxs River. Water from Lake Lyell and mine dewatering projects can also supply water in times of shortage.[4] In 2007 and in 2009, water shortages occurred in the Fish River system, causing concern that the generating facility would be forced to close. Oberon Shire was also concerned about the level of potable water available from the Oberon Dam, a water cooling source for Wallerawang Power Station.[5][6]

Pollutants

Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates that the Wallerawang Power Station emits approximately 6,500,000 tonnes (6,400,000 long tons) of CO2 each year as a result of burning coal.[7] The Rudd government announced the introduction of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme to help combat climate change that was expected to commence in 2010. However, a Bill to introduce the cap and trade system was defeated on the floor of the Parliament. The subsequent Australian Renewable Energy Agency Bill, 2011 (Cth) was enacted and established an emissions trading scheme to price carbon in Australia in a regulated manner between 2012 and June 2015. From July 2015, the price on carbon will be determined by market forces. The carbon pricing scheme was discontinued by the new Federal Government in 2014. It was expected that these measures would have impacted on emissions from power stations.

Wallerawang Power Station has emitted the following selected list of pollutants:

Pollutant identified Levels of pollutant Location(s) of pollutant
2011-2012[8] 2010-2011[9]
Ammonia Increase 740 kilograms (1,630 lb) 520 kilograms (1,150 lb) Air
Decrease 6,900 kilograms (15,200 lb) 8,600 kilograms (19,000 lb) Water
Carbon monoxide Decrease 660,000 kilograms (1,460,000 lb) 470,000 kilograms (1,040,000 lb) Air
Chlorine and compounds Decrease 680 kilograms (1,500 lb) 1,600 kilograms (3,500 lb) Air
Increase 1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb) 1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb) Water
Hydrochloric acid Increase 1,600,000 kilograms (3,500,000 lb) 1,100,000 kilograms (2,400,000 lb) Air
Lead and compounds Decrease 46 kilograms (101 lb) 110 kilograms (240 lb) Air
Mercury and compounds Increase 12 kilograms (26 lb) 6 kilograms (13 lb) Air
Oxides of Nitrogen Increase 16,000,000 kilograms (35,000,000 lb) 11,000,000 kilograms (24,000,000 lb) Air
Sulfuric acid Decrease 310,000 kilograms (680,000 lb) 210,000 kilograms (460,000 lb) Air
Zinc and compounds Increase 320 kilograms (710 lb) 220 kilograms (490 lb) Air

See also

References

  1. ↑ Walsh, Troy; Ashworth, Len (8 January 2013). "One of two units at Wallerawang Power Station mothballed for twelve months". Lithgow Mercury. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Palmer, Daniel (10 January 2013). "EnergyAustralia's tale of two coal plants". Climate Spectator. Business Spectator Pty Ltd. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Ashworth, Len (1 April 2014). "Lights out at Wallerawang Power Station". Western Advocate. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Wallerawang power station". About us: Generation. Delta Electricity.
  5. ↑ Cubby, Ben; Wilkinson, Marian (19 November 2009). "People v power station as water levels plunge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  6. ↑ Robins, Brian (27 November 2009). "Shortage of water will shut power station". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Wallerawang". Plant overview. Carbon Monitoring for Action. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  8. ↑ "2011/2012 report for DELTA ELECTRICITY, Wallerawang Power Station - Wallerawang, NSW". National Pollutant Inventory. Commonwealth of Australia. 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "2010/2011 report for DELTA ELECTRICITY, Wallerawang Power Station - Wallerawang, NSW". National Pollutant Inventory. Commonwealth of Australia. 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
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