Callide Power Station

Callide Power Station
Country Australia
Location Biloela, Central Queensland
Coordinates
Status Baseload
Commission date 1965
Construction cost $28.7 million
Owner(s) CS Energy
Power station information
Primary fuel Coal
Generation units 8
Power generation information
Installed capacity 1,720 MW

Callide Power Station is located near Biloela, in Central Queensland, Australia. It is coal powered with eight steam turbines with a combined generation capacity of 1,720 MW of electricity. Callide A was commissioned in 1965 and refurbished in 1998.

The coal for Callide comes from the nearby Callide Coalfields and water from the Awoonga dam and Stag Creek Pipeline.[1]

At the end of 1962 approval was granted for a new power station near Biloela.[2] Work commenced at the site in February 1963. The design of the plant based around separate generating units and a control room was a first for Queensland.[2] It was also the first power station in Queensland to use dry cooling towers.[2]

It has four 30 MW steam turbines, the first of which was operating by June 1965. From its commissioning a drought meant water restrictions at the station reduced output.[2] The second set was expected to be operating by May 1966, but was lost at sea while being transported from England.[2] It finally arrived in June 1967. The third set was operating in October 1967 and the fourth one in May 1969.[2] The total cost of the project was A$28.7 million.[2]

Callide A has been in storage since 2001, except for Unit 4 which is being used for the Callide Oxyfuel project.[3] Callide B was commissioned in 1988 with two 350 MW steam turbines.

The Callide Power Plant (a.k.a. Callide C) was commissioned in 2001 with two 450 MW advanced cycle steam tubines.[4] Callide C uses a more efficient "supercritical" boiler technology to burn coal to generate electricity.[5]

Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates this power station emits 5.73 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning coal.[6] The Australian Government has announced the introduction of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme commencing in 2011 to help combat climate change. It is expected to impact on emissions from power stations. The National Pollutant Inventory provides details of other pollutant emissions, but, as at 23 November 2008, not CO2.

See also

Energy portal
Queensland portal

References

External links