Horizon Power will soon be supplying Pilbara customers with energy from the most efficient gas power station in the region with the successful commissioning today of the new South Hedland power station, built by TransAlta Energy (Australia) Pty Ltd.
The new power station, which will deliver 150 megawatts of the most fuel efficient energy in the Pilbara, is the result of successful joint initiative between the State Government and industry to meet the long term power needs of the region.
An extensive procurement process funded by the State Government and driven by Horizon Power, awarded the contract to build, maintain and operate the station to Canadian energy company TransAlta.
The station will provide energy to Horizon Power and major resource company Fortescue Metals Group. The new plant can be expanded to supply power to other commercial users.
The combined-cycle natural gas power station is one of the most efficient power plants in Western Australia, and the most efficient in the Pilbara, providing low cost electricity and generating low greenhouse gas emissions.
Horizon Power Managing Director Frank Tudor said the new station was state-of-the-art infrastructure and was off balance-sheet which meant it had not cost taxpayers of the State due to the close collaboration between government and private industry.
It will deliver residents and industry of the Pilbara safe, reliable and fuel-efficient energy supply well into the future, with Horizon Power drawing approximately 110 megawatts of power from the new station.
“This combined cycle gas power station will provide essential energy supply for the rapidly growing Pilbara region under an innovative privately-funded delivery model constructed under an agreement between the State Government, Horizon Power and Fortescue Metals Group,” said Mr Tudor.
“It has been a successful project, a collaboration of some of the most important energy and resources companies in the world delivering efficient supplies to our customers.”
The new power station will incorporate the short-term power plant built by Horizon Power in late 2014.
Current construction under the HPPP includes the Roy Hill Transmission Project, which incorporates the TransAlta station and includes connection infrastructure covering almost five kilometres and will deliver long-term electricity supply to the Roy Hill port operations in Port Hedland.
“Roy Hill will be a beneficiary of the Hedland Power Precinct, which has the capacity to connect multiple users and improve integration and efficiency on the NWIS well into the future,” said Mr Tudor.
Fact file:
- Combined cycle power plants are highly efficient and feature both natural gas and steam turbines, with the steam turbine using waste heat from the gas turbine to generate additional electricity.
- Horizon Power ran the procurement process for the Pilbara Power Project.
- The project includes the construction of a new transmission line for delivery of power to FMG’s port operations.
- The Pilbara Power Procurement Board, which includes representatives from Treasury, the Department of Finance, the Department of State Development, Horizon Power and the Pilbara Development Commission, oversaw the procurement process.
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