Guthega Power Station

Guthega Power Station is located in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. The power station's purpose is for the generation of electricity. It is the first to be completed and smallest of the initial seven hydroelectric power stations that comprise the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 and now run by Snowy Hydro.

Guthega Power Station
Guthega Power Station.
CountryAustralia
LocationSnowy Mountains, New South Wales
Coordinates36°20′58″S 148°24′50″E
StatusOperational
Construction beganNovember 1951 (1951-11)
Opening dateApril 1955 (1955-04)
Owner(s)Snowy Hydro
Operator(s)Snowy Hydro
Guthega Power Station
Reservoir
CreatesGuthega Pondage
Total capacity1,604,000 ML (56,600×10^6 cu ft)
Power Station
Hydraulic head246.9 m (810 ft)
Turbines2
Power Station
Installed capacity60 MW (80,000 hp)
Annual generation172 GWh (620 TJ)

This station is connected to the National Electricity Market via the TransGrid 330/132KV Substation @ the TransGrid 330KV Murray Switching Station, 1.56 kilometres (1.71 mi) South East of Khancoban.

Location and features
Guthega power station and dam
Inside the machine hall - English Electric generators as they appeared in 1982

Guthega power station is located at the confluence of the Munyang River and the Snowy River, approximately 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) downstream of the Guthega Dam wall. It is a conventional hydroelectric power station, situated above ground. The waters held in the reservoir behind Guthega dam pass through a concrete lined tunnel, a surge tank and firstly one, then two steel penstocks to the power station to generate electricity.

The powerhouse is a concrete structure with a machine hall that is 51.46 metres (168.8 ft) long, 17.83 metres (58.5 ft) wide, and 32.61 metres (107.0 ft) high. Approximately 6,880 cubic metres (243,000 cu ft) of concrete was used in its construction which commenced in November 1951 and was completed in April 1955.

The power station has two Francis turbines each driving an English Electric generator. The power station includes foundations for a third unit but this was never installed as there was insufficient water to make it worthwhile. The power station has a rated hydraulic head of 246.9 metres (810 ft). Each turbine runs at 428 rpm and water flows through it at the rate of 28.3 cubic metres per second (1,000 cu ft/s). The total installed generating capacity is 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) of electricity yielding a net generation of 172 gigawatt-hours (620 TJ) annually.[1][2][3]

The Guthega Power Station is the highest power station in Australia.

See also

References
  1. "Guthega Hydroelectric Power Station Australia". Global Energy Observatory. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  2. "Power Stations". Snowy Mountains Scheme. Snowy Hydro. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  3. "Hydroelectric Power Plants in Australia - NSW". Platts UDI World Electric Power Plants Data Base. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
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