Kwinana Power Station | |
---|---|
Country | Australia |
Location | Kwinana, Western Australia |
Coordinates | 32°11′55″S 115°46′29″E / 32.19861°S 115.77472°ECoordinates: 32°11′55″S 115°46′29″E / 32.19861°S 115.77472°E |
Status | Operating |
Commission date | 1970 |
Owner(s) | Synergy |
Thermal power station | |
Primary fuel | Coal, Natural Gas |
Type | steam cycle |
Cooling source | Sea water |
Power generation | |
Units operational | C A Parsons |
Nameplate capacity | 660 MW |
Website http://generation.synergy.net.au/generating-electricity/power-stations/kwinana |
Kwinana Power Station is Synergy's second-largest power station and is located in Naval Base, Western Australia. It has four turbines driven by steam from boilers fired by coal, natural gas or fuel oil, and one gas turbine. Together they generate a total of 420 MW of electricity.
The station was originally built in 1970 as an oil-fired power station, however it was later converted to coal due to the rising price of oil caused by the 1973 oil crisis. This project received an 'Engineering Excellence Award' from the Institution of Engineers Australia (Engineers Australia) in 1980.
A 21 MW gas turbine, able to be operated on natural gas or diesel fuel, was added in 1972. With greatly increased availability of natural gas from the North West Shelf Venture project, natural gas firing was introduced in the mid 1980s. In 2005 oil burning was re-introduced making the power station unique in Western Australia as it could burn the three fuels - coal, natural gas and oil.
Two units of 240MW capacity of natural gas and oil-fired steam turbines were retired in late 2008. Synergy added two LMS100 gas turbines to the site in 2012. These high-efficiency gas turbines each have the capacity to produce 100MW of electricity.
The remaining oil-fired turbine will be retired in October 2015.
The power station is scheduled to close in 2015.