Wallerawang Power Station

Wallerawang Power Station was a thermal coal power station, located near Wallerawang, in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. The power station was equipped with two turbo-alternators of 500 megawatts (670,000 hp) each, supplied by CA Parsons and Company of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Production commenced in May 1957.[1]

Wallerawang Power Station
Wallerawang Power Station
CountryAustralia
LocationWallerawang, New South Wales
Coordinates33°24′14″S 150°5′4″E
StatusDecommissioned
Commission date1957 (A)
1961 (B)
1976 (C)
Owner(s)EnergyAustralia
Thermal power station
Primary fuelThermal coal
Power generation
Units operational2
Make and modelCA Parsons and Company
Nameplate capacity1,000 megawatts (1,300,000 hp)
External links
WebsiteMt Piper & Wallerawang Power Stations at www.energyaustralia.com.au

In July 2013, EnergyAustralia acquired Wallerawang Power Station, along with Mount Piper Power Station, from Delta Electricity for $160 million.[2] Due to dwindling demand, the first of the two generating units had been mothballed in January 2013, and the second in April 2014. In November 2014, EnergyAustralia announced that it would permanently close Wallerawang due to ongoing reduced energy demand, lack of access to competitively priced coal and the power station’s high operating costs.[3] EnergyAustralia began the process of removing useful equipment from the station in 2015 and began demolition of the site when this process has been completed.[4][5]

Features and capacity

Wallerawang A — originally built with four British Thomson-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). Wallerawang A was decommissioned in May 1986.

Wallerawang B — comprised 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 B was decommissioned in 1990.[6]

Wallerawang C — comprised two 500 megawatts (670,000 hp) units 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.[7][8] The other was also mothballed 15 months later.[9]

The coal for Wallerawang Power Station came 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 drew 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.[10] 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.[11][12]

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.[13] 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[14] 2010-2011[15]
Ammonia740 kilograms (1,630 lb)520 kilograms (1,150 lb)Air
6,900 kilograms (15,200 lb)8,600 kilograms (19,000 lb)Water
Carbon monoxide660,000 kilograms (1,460,000 lb)470,000 kilograms (1,040,000 lb)Air
Chlorine and compounds680 kilograms (1,500 lb)1,600 kilograms (3,500 lb)Air
1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb)Water
Hydrochloric acid1,600,000 kilograms (3,500,000 lb)1,100,000 kilograms (2,400,000 lb)Air
Lead and compounds46 kilograms (101 lb)110 kilograms (240 lb)Air
Mercury and compounds12 kilograms (26 lb)6 kilograms (13 lb)Air
Oxides of Nitrogen16,000,000 kilograms (35,000,000 lb)11,000,000 kilograms (24,000,000 lb)Air
Sulfuric acid310,000 kilograms (680,000 lb)210,000 kilograms (460,000 lb)Air
Zinc and compounds320 kilograms (710 lb)220 kilograms (490 lb)Air

See also

References
  1. Wallerawang Power Station Railway Transportation June 1957 page 23
  2. "EnergyAustralia acquires Mt Piper and Wallerawang power stations". EnergyAustralia. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  3. "Closure of Wallerawang power station | EnergyAustralia". EnergyAustralia. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  4. "Salvage program to begin at Wallerawang power station | EnergyAustralia". EnergyAustralia. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  5. ASHWORTH, LEN (8 January 2015). "Wallerawang Power Station to be demolished". Lithgow Mercury. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  6. "Wallerawang A and B Power Stations chimney stack | NSW Environment & Heritage". www.environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  7. 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.
  8. Palmer, Daniel (10 January 2013). "EnergyAustralia's tale of two coal plants". Climate Spectator. Business Spectator Pty Ltd. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  9. Ashworth, Len (1 April 2014). "Lights out at Wallerawang Power Station". Western Advocate. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  10. "Wallerawang power station". About us: Generation. Delta Electricity.
  11. Cubby, Ben; Wilkinson, Marian (19 November 2009). "People v power station as water levels plunge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  12. Robins, Brian (27 November 2009). "Shortage of water will shut power station". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  13. "Wallerawang". Plant overview. Carbon Monitoring for Action. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  14. "2011/2012 report for DELTA ELECTRICITY, Wallerawang Power Station - Wallerawang, NSW". National Pollutant Inventory. Commonwealth of Australia. 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  15. "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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