Bell Bay Power Station

Bell Bay Power Station
Country Australia
Location Bell Bay, Tasmania
Coordinates 41°8′31″S 146°54′9″E / 41.14194°S 146.90250°ECoordinates: 41°8′31″S 146°54′9″E / 41.14194°S 146.90250°E
Status Peak demand
Commission date 1971
Decommission date 2009
Owner(s) Hydro Tasmania
Thermal power station
Primary fuel Natural gas
Type 2 steam turbines
Combined cycle? No
Power generation
Units operational 0
Nameplate capacity 345 megawatts (463,000 hp)

The Bell Bay Power Station was decommissioned in 2009. It is located adjacent to, and is often confused with, the Tamar Valley Power Station, in Bell Bay, on the Tamar River, Tasmania, Australia. At the time of decommissioning, it had two 120 megawatts (160,000 hp) gas fired steam turbines and three 35 megawatts (47,000 hp) gas turbines, giving a total capacity of 345 megawatts (463,000 hp) of electricity.

Establishment

Bell Bay Power Station was commissioned in 1971 with a single 120 megawatts (160,000 hp) oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox, single drum, reheat boiler, supplying steam to an NEI Parsons steam turbine with hydrogen cooled generator (unit one). In 1974, a second near identical unit followed (unit two). Cooling water was via a once through cooling system, drawing water directly from the Tamar River. Three 15,000 tonnes (17,000 tons) capacity fuel oil tanks supplied the 600 tonnes (660 tons) of fuel oil per day required to run each of the steam sets. Fuel oil was delivered by tank ship and discharged across a dedicated oil jetty at the site. The 110-metre (360 ft) tall stack is a distinctive feature in the area.

The power station's original role was to provide system security and drought relief for Tasmania's predominantly hydro-electric based generation system. Because of this role, Bell Bay Power Station was rarely called on to operate, with intervals of 5 to 8 years between any significant periods generation.

Conversion to Natural Gas

In 2003, unit one was converted from fuel oil to natural gas when a pipeline from Victoria to Tasmania was established. This was followed in 2004 by conversion of unit two.

Expansion

In 2006, three Pratt & Whitney FT8 Twin Pac open cycle gas turbine units were acquired from an existing facility in the US. Although the Bell Bay Power Station was decommissioned in 2009, these three peeking units now form part of the Tamar Valley Power Station.

Ownership

Bell Bay Power Station is owned by Hydro Tasmania via wholly owned subsidiary companies.

In March 2007, Western Australian power company Alinta agreed to buy the site from Hydro Tasmania (i.e. the Tasmanian Government) for about $75 million, which included gas pipeline capacity agreements. This would compliment their (then) proposed 200 MW combined cycle Tamar Valley Power Station, which was due for completion in early 2009, and which was to be located somewhere in the Bell Bay precinct.[1]

Aurora Energy acquired the ex Alinta Energy combined cycle power station project from the then new owner, Babcock and Brown Power in September 2008.. The Tasmanian Government included a possible transfer of the existing Bell Bay Power Station to Aurora Energy as part of the acquisition. The transfer of the existing two thermal units did not proceed. Hydro Tasmania remains the owner and the station is currently available for sale whole or as parts.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Alinta buys Tasmanian plant". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 March 2007.
  2. ↑ "Power plant for sale - whole or part of plant". Hydro Tasmania.

External links