Vales Point Power Station

Vales Point Power Station is one of two coal fired power stations on the shores of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. Vales Point is located on the southern shore of the lake, near the township of Mannering Park. It has two steam turbines, with a total generating capacity of 1,320 MW (1,770,000 hp) of electricity.

Vales Point Power Station
Location of Vales Point Power Station in New South Wales
Country
  • Australia
LocationLake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates33°9′38″S 151°32′31″E
StatusOperational
Commission date1978
Owner(s)Sunset Power International
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technologySteam turbine
Power generation
Units operational2
Nameplate capacity1320 MW

Vales Point was the first major power station in New South Wales to be located near its fuel source (coal).

In November 2015, the Government of New South Wales sold Delta Electricity, which at that time owned only the Vales Point Power Station, to Sunset Power International for $1 million.[1] In 2017 it was valued at $730 million, and is expected to make energy entrepreneur and former National Party candidate Trevor St Baker a half billionaire.[2]

A station

Vales Point was originally equipped with three turbo-alternators of 200 MW supplied by the English Electric (unit nos. 1 to 3) and one of 275 MW supplied by Associated Electrical Industries (unit no. 4), for a total of 875 MW. The first two units were completed in 1963, and the third in 1964. Unit no. 4 was brought into use in 1966. In order to supply coal to the station, three mines were opened; Chain Valley Colliery, Newvale No.1 Colliery and Wyee State Mine. These four units were known as 'A' Station, its capacity of 875 MW being the highest in New South Wales at the time. Vales Point 'A' Station was decommissioned in 1989. The turbines were removed in 1997; the boilers and buildings were demolished between 2011–14.

B station

In 1978, two Toshiba 660 MW units were added, becoming "B" Station. The combined capacity of 2195 MW made Vales Point the largest power station in Australia at the time. The Toshiba 660 MW turbo-alternator became the standard in New South Wales, with similar units later being installed at Eraring, Bayswater and Mount Piper.

Vales Point uses salt water from Lake Macquarie for cooling. The coal for Vales Point is delivered by conveyor and a balloon loop connection to the Main Northern railway line between Wyee and Morisset.[3] The balloon loop opened in March 1980.[4]

Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates this power station emits 9.32 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning coal.[5]

Vales Point Power Station was used as the location for the Midnight Oil US Forces music video.[6]

See also

References
  1. Potter, Ben (19 November 2015). "NSW government sells Vales Point power station for $1m". Australian Financial Review (Subscription Required). Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  2. Cole Latimer (24 October 2017). "Vales Point power station privatisation put before auditor-general". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  3. Vales Point Coal Unloader NSWrail.net
  4. Signalling & Safeworking Railway Digest December 1980 page 355
  5. "Carbon Monitoring for Action". Retrieved 23 November 2008.
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