| Vales Point Power Station | |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Location | New South Wales |
| Coordinates | |
| Status | Baseload |
| Commission date | 1978 |
| Owner(s) | Delta Electricity |
| Power station information | |
| Primary fuel | coal |
| Generation units | 2 |
| Combined cycle? | No |
| Power generation information | |
| Maximum capacity | 1320 MW |
Vales Point Power Station is one of two coal fired power stations on the shores of Lake Macquarie. 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 of electricity.
Vales Point was the first major power station in New South Wales to be located near its fuel source (coal).
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Vales Point was originally built with three English Electric 200 MW turbo-alternators. The first two were completed in 1963, and the third in 1964. In 1966, a fourth turbo-alternator manufactured by Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) Limited in the UK, with a capacity of 275 MW, was added.
These four units were known as "A" Station, its capacity of 875 MW making it the most powerful in New South Wales at that time. The original four generating units forming "A" Station were decommissioned in 1989.
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 comes from local mines, and is delivered by conveyor.
Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates this power station emits 9.32 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning coal.[1] The Australian Government has announced the introduction of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme commencing in 2010 to help combat climate change. It is expected to impact on emissions from power stations. The National Pollutant Inventory[2] provides details of other pollutant emissions, but, as at 23 November 2008, not CO2.
Vales Point Power Station is recognisable in the background of the music video for the 1982 Midnight Oil track "U.S. Forces".[3]
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