| Whirinaki Power Station | |
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Whirinaki, Hawke's Bay |
| Coordinates | |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 2004 |
| Owner(s) | Contact Energy |
| Operator(s) | Contact Energy |
| Power station information | |
| Primary fuel | Diesel |
| Generation units | 3 |
| Turbine manufacturer(s) | Pratt & Whitney |
| Cogeneration? | No |
| Combined cycle? | No |
| Power generation information | |
| Installed capacity | 155 MW |
The Whirinaki Power Station is an open cycle gas turbine power station at Whirinaki, Hawke's Bay in New Zealand.
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The NZED constructed a 220 MW gas turbine power station on this site, which began operation in 1978.[1] This power station comprised four Pratt & Whitney twinpac units, each with two FT4 gas turbines (based on the JT4A). This plant was fueled with diesel, which meant electricity generation was expensive and the plant operated very rarely.
In 1993, one twin-pac unit was moved to construct a gas fired cogeneration plant at the Te Awamutu dairy factory.
In 2001, the remaining three units were sold and removed to become three of the six units at the Valley Power Peaking Facility in Australia.
Following national power shortages in 2001 and 2003 due to low hydro lake levels, the New Zealand government commissioned Contact Energy to build reserve generation on the Whirinaki site. This plant was intended to be a generator of last resort, providing back up generation when needed, such as during times of low hydro lake levels. The power station cost $150 million and was opened in June 2004.[2]
The diesel powered power station was opened in 2004, and comprises three Pratt & Whitney twinpacs, each with two FT8 gas turbines. Designed to be a standby power station, it has a total capacity of 155MW. The power station is maintained and operated by Contact Energy and it is state owned[3]. The station was due to be transferred to Meridian Energy on the 1 October 2010 as part of the 2010 electricity market reforms, but in December 2010, the New Zealand Government announced it intended to sell the plant by open tender.[4]
In 2011, the Ministry of Economic Development offered the plant for sale by competitive tender.[5] It was purchased by Contact Energy, with transfer of ownership on 22 December 2011.[6]