List of power stations in New South Wales facts for kids
This article lists the different types of power stations that help make electricity in New South Wales, Australia. These power stations are all currently working and can produce 1 MW (which is a lot of electricity!) or more. They help power homes, schools, and businesses across the state.
Contents
Solar Power Stations
Solar power stations use energy from the Sun to make electricity. They often use special panels called photovoltaic panels, which turn sunlight directly into power. It's a clean way to get electricity!
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) | Operator | Technology | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moree Solar Farm | 56 | Fotowatio Renewable Ventures | Photovoltaic | 2016 | |
| Beryl Solar Farm | 87 | New Energy Solar / First Solar | Photovoltaic | 2019 | Can produce even more power in DC (direct current) before it's converted to AC (alternating current) for the grid. |
| Finley Solar Farm | 133 | ESCO Pacific / John Laing | Photovoltaic | 2019 | Also produces more power in DC before conversion to AC. |
| Royalla Solar Farm | 20 | Acciona | Photovoltaic | 2014 | |
| Nyngan Solar Plant | 102 | AGL Energy | Photovoltaic | 2016 | |
| Broken Hill Solar Plant | 53 | AGL Energy | Photovoltaic | 2016 | |
| Mugga Lane Solar Park, Canberra, ACT | 13 | Maoneng | Photovoltaic | 2017 | |
| Gullen Range Solar Farm | 10 | Goldwind Australia | Photovoltaic | 2017 | |
| Mount Majura Solar Farm Majura, ACT | 2.3 | Solar Choice | Photovoltaic | 2016 | Built by Solar Choice and Solar Fields. |
| Williamsdale Solar Farm Williamsdale, ACT | 11 | ActewAGL | Photovoltaic | 2017 | |
| Coleambally Solar Farm | 150 | Neoen | Photovoltaic | 2018 | Started making full power in late 2018. |
| Parkes Solar Farm | 55 | Neoen | Photovoltaic | 2018 | Fully working since March 2018. |
| Griffith Solar Farm | 36 | Neoen | Photovoltaic | 2018 | |
| Manildra Solar Farm | 48.5 | First Solar | Photovoltaic | 2018 | |
| White Rock Solar Farm | 20 | Goldwind Australia | Photovoltaic | 2018 | |
| Jemalong CSP Pilot Plant | 1.1 | Vast Solar | Thermal | 2017 | This type uses mirrors to focus sunlight and create heat. |
| Jemalong Solar Farm | 50 | Genex Power | Photovoltaic | 2021 |
Coal-Fired Power Stations
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These power stations burn coal to heat water and create steam. This steam then spins large machines called steam turbines, which make electricity.
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) | Operator | Mine type | How coal arrives | Cooling Water | Expected closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayswater | 2,640 | AGL Energy | Open cut | Conveyors, rail | Fresh water | 2035 |
| Eraring | 2,880 | Origin Energy | Underground | Rail, truck | Salt water | 2025 |
| Mount Piper | 1,400 | EnergyAustralia | Underground | Road, conveyor | Fresh water | 2040 |
| Vales Point B | 1,320 | Delta Electricity | Underground | Conveyors | Salt water | 2028 |
- In 2007, the two units at Mount Piper were updated to produce 700 MW each.
- Origin Energy plans to close the Eraring power station earlier, in 2025, if approved.
Gas Turbine Power Stations
These power stations use natural gas or other liquid fuels to power a special engine called a gas turbine. The spinning turbine then creates electricity.
| Power station | Operator | Max. Capacity (MW) | Turbines | Fuel type | Combined cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colongra | Snowy Hydro | 667 | 4 | natural gas | No |
| Tallawarra | EnergyAustralia | 435 | 2 | natural gas | Yes |
| Smithfield | Visy | 171 | 4 | natural gas | No |
| Uranquinty | Origin Energy | 641 | 4 | natural gas | No |
Gas Engine Power Stations
These power stations use engines similar to car engines, but much bigger, to burn gas and make electricity. They can use different types of gas, like landfill gas (from rubbish dumps) or biogas (from sewage).
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) | Engines | Fuel type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appin Mine | 55.6 | 54 | coalbed methane + natural gas |
| Belrose | 4 | 1 | landfill gas |
| Earthpower Camellia | 3.9 | 3 | biogas |
| Jacks Gully | 2.3 | 1 | landfill gas |
| Lucas Heights I | 5.4 | 5 | landfill gas |
| Lucas Heights II | 17.3 | 15 | landfill gas |
| Sydney Water, Malabar | 3 | 3 | sewage gas |
| Shoalhaven Landfill Gas Project | 1 | 1 | landfill gas |
| Tahmoor | 7 | 7 | coalbed methane |
| Teralba | 8 | 8 | coalbed methane |
| Tower Mine | 41.2 | 40 | coalbed methane + natural gas |
| Wilga | 11 | 11 | natural gas |
| Woodlawn | 4 | 4 | landfill gas |
| Kincumber Landfill Gas Abatement | 1 | 1 | landfill gas |
| Woy Woy Landfill Gas Abatement | 1 | 1 | landfill gas |
Hydroelectric Power Stations
These power stations use the power of falling water to spin turbines and create electricity. It's a very clean way to make power! Some can even pump water back up to be used again, like a big battery.
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) | Turbines | Pumped storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bendeela (Shoalhaven) | 80 | 2 | Yes |
| Blowering | 80 | 1 | No |
| Brown Mountain | 4.95 | 2 | No |
| Burrendong | 14.5 | 1 | No |
| Burrinjuck | 27 | 3 | No |
| Copeton | 24 | 1 | No |
| Glenbawn | 5.8 | 1 | No |
| Guthega | 60 | 2 | No |
| Hume | 58 | 2 | No |
| Kangaroo Valley (Shoalhaven) | 160 | 2 | Yes |
| Keepit | 7.2 | 1 | No |
| Kembla Grange | 6.8 | 2 | No |
| Murray 1 | 950 | 10 | No |
| Murray 2 | 550 | 4 | No |
| Nymboida | 5 | 7 | No |
| Oaky River | 12 | 5 | No |
| Pindari | 5.6 | 2 | No |
| Snowy 2.0 | 2000 | 6 | Yes |
| The Drop, Mulwala Canal | 2.5 | 1 | No |
| Tumut 1 | 330 | 4 | No |
| Tumut 2 | 287 | 4 | No |
| Tumut 3 | 1500 | 6 | Yes |
| Warragamba | 50 | 1 | No |
| Williams River Dam (private) | 7 | 1 | No |
| Wyangala | 22.5 | 2 | No |
Wind Farms
Wind farms use large wind turbines to capture the energy of the wind and turn it into electricity.
Biomass Power Stations
These power stations burn biomass (which is material from plants or animals, like wood waste or sugar cane leftovers) to create heat. This heat then makes steam to spin turbines and generate electricity.
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) | Turbines | Fuel Type | How fuel arrives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwater Sugar Mill | 10 | 1 | bagasse (sugar cane waste) | On-site |
| Broadwater Biomass Co-Gen | 30 | 1 | Bagasse/wood waste | On-site & truck |
| Condong Sugar Mill | 3 | 1 | Bagasse | On-site |
| Condong Biomass Co-Gen | 30 | 1 | Bagasse/wood waste | On-site & truck |
| Harwood Sugar Mill | 4.5 | 3 | Bagasse | On-site |
| Visy, Tumut | 21 | 1 | black liquor (from paper making) | On-site |
Cogeneration Power Stations
Cogeneration means making two useful things at once. These power stations produce electricity, but they also capture and use the "waste heat" that's created during the process. This makes them very efficient!
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|
| Amcor, Bomaderry | 6 |
| BlueScope, Port Kembla | 62 |
| Macquarie University | 1.5 |
| Stadium Australia | 1 |
| University of Western Sydney | 1 |
| Visy, Smithfield | 6 |
Decommissioned Coal-Fired Stations
These are coal-fired power stations that are no longer in use. They used to provide electricity but have now been shut down.
| Power station | Max. Capacity (MW) | Turbines | Coal Type | Mine type | How coal arrived | Cooling Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balmain | 126.2 | 8 | Bituminous | N/A | Ship / lighter | Salt water |
| Bunnerong | 375 | 11 | Bituminous | N/A | Railway | Salt water |
| Liddell | 2051 | 7 | Bituminous | Open cut | Conveyors | Fresh water |
| Lithgow | 38 | 4 | Bituminous | Open cut | Railway | Fresh water |
| Munmorah | 1,400 | 4 | Bituminous | Underground | Conveyors | Salt water |
| Newcastle East | 70.75 | 6 | Bituminous | N/A | Railway | Salt water |
| Pyrmont | 200 | 4 | Bituminous | N/A | Railway | Salt water |
| Redbank | 150 | 1 | Bituminous (tailings) | Open cut | Conveyors | Fresh water |
| Ultimo | 79.5 | 6 | Bituminous | N/A | Railway | Salt water |
| Wallerawang | 1,240 | 2 | Bituminous | Underground | Road, conveyor | Fresh water |
| Wangi | 330 | 6 | Bituminous | Underground | Conveyor | Fresh water |
| White Bay | 100 | 2 | Bituminous | N/A | Railway | Salt water |
See also
- List of power stations in Australia
