Richmond Power Station, Victoria

Richmond Power Station was a Victorian era coal fired power station which operated on the banks of the Yarra River in Richmond, Victoria, Australia from its construction in 1891 until its closure in 1976. It was one of the first alternating current (AC) electricity generation plants in the state. It has since been converted into office space and is the headquarters of international fashion brand Country Road and advertising agency CHE Proximity. The area in which it is located is now called Cremorne.

The former power station is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

The Richmond Power Station was completed in 1891 by the New Australian Lighting and Traction Company. It was one of the first alternating current (AC) electricity generation plants in Victoria. The building was designed by Charles D'Ebro, one of Melbourne's premier architects of the time. Initially the station provided power to Melbourne and the suburbs of Richmond, Prahran and South Melbourne. The main competitor was A U Alcock's Electric Light and Motive Power Company. Early equipment was a 750KW Elwell-Parker alternator. Power was supplied at 2kv and 97HZ. The set was driven by a Robey compound steam engine rated at 200HP. In 1899 these two companies were taken over by Brush Electrical and were combined to form the Electric Lighting and Traction Company of Australia. In 1901, 2 Brush-Universal 500KW sets were added.

As demand increased the plant went through a series of upgrades, the first being an expansion to the engine house. The first of 2 Parsons-Brush 1MW single phase turbo-alternators with a terminal voltage of 4.2kv were added in 1905. A Curtis-Thompson 1.5MW turbo alternator was bought in 1907.

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