List of power stations in South Australia facts for kids
This article lists the main power stations that help create electricity in South Australia, Australia. These power stations are already working and can make at least 1 MW of electricity. A megawatt is a huge amount of power, enough to light up thousands of light bulbs!
Contents
How South Australia Makes Electricity
Power stations are like big factories that turn different types of energy into electricity. This electricity then travels through wires to power our homes, schools, and businesses. South Australia uses many different ways to make electricity, from burning natural gas to using the wind and sun.
Old Coal Power Stations
For a long time, South Australia used power stations that burned coal to make electricity. This process used steam to spin giant machines called steam turbines. However, since 2016, South Australia has stopped using coal for electricity. This is a big step towards cleaner energy!
- Playford A stopped working in 1985.
- Playford B closed down for good in October 2015.
- Northern Power Station also stopped working permanently in May 2016.
Gas Turbine Power Stations
These power stations use natural gas or diesel fuel to power special engines called gas turbines. Think of them like powerful jet engines that spin to create electricity. Some of these stations use a "combined cycle" which means they use the hot exhaust gas from the turbine to make even more electricity, making them super efficient!
| Power Station | Who Owns It | Power It Makes (MW) | Number of Turbines | What It Burns | Combined Cycle? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coopers Brewer (Regency Park) | AGL Energy | 4.4 | 1 | natural gas | yes |
| Dry Creek | Synergen Power | 156 | 3 | natural gas | no |
| Hallett | Energy Australia | 180 | 12 | natural gas/diesel | yes |
| Ladbroke Grove | Origin Energy | 80 | 2 | natural gas | no |
| Mintaro | Synergen Power | 90 | 1 | natural gas | no |
| Osborne | Osborne Cogeneration | 180 | 2 | natural gas | yes |
| Port Lincoln | Synergen Power | 73.5 | 3 | diesel | no |
| Quarantine | Origin Energy | 224 | 5 | natural gas | no |
| Pelican Point | Engie | 478 | 3 | natural gas | yes |
| Snapper Point | Nexif | 154 | 5 | natural gas | no |
| Snuggery | Synergen Power | 63 | 3 | diesel | no |
| Whyalla Steelworks | Liberty OneSteel | 8.4 | 2 | natural gas | no |
| Temporary Generation South(Adelaide Desalination Plant) | SA Government | 123 | 4 | diesel | no |
In 2017, the South Australian government added some "temporary" power stations. These were meant to help out during very busy times, especially after some big power outages in 2016. They were set up at old factory sites. Later, some of these temporary generators were moved and now form the Snapper Point Power Station.
Gas (Thermal) Power Stations
These power stations also use gas, but they heat water to create steam. This steam then spins large steam turbines, which generate electricity.
| Power Station | Who Owns It | Power It Makes (MW) | Number of Turbines | What It Burns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrens Island | AGL Energy | 1,280 | 8 | natural gas |
| Whyalla Steelworks | Liberty OneSteel | 57.5 | 3 | Coke Ovens and Blast Furnace Gas/Oil |
Reciprocating Engine Power Stations
These power stations use engines that move back and forth, similar to how a car engine works, but much bigger! They often run on diesel fuel or even special gases like landfill gas (from rubbish dumps) or sewerage gas.
| Power Station | Who Owns It | Power It Makes (MW) | Number of Engines | What It Burns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angaston | Snowy Hydro | 50 | 30 | diesel |
| Barker Inlet | AGL | 210 | 12 | Natural gas and diesel |
| Lonsdale | Snowy Hydro | 21 | 18 | diesel |
| Port Stanvac | Snowy Hydro | 58 | 36 | diesel |
| Kangaroo Island power station | SA Power Networks | 6 | 3 | diesel |
| Blue Lake Milling Power Plant | Vibe Energy | 1 | 1 | diesel |
| Tatiara Meats Bordertown | Vibe Energy | 1 | 1 | diesel |
| Pedler Creek Landfill | 3 | 3 | Landfill gas | |
| Wingfield landfill | Energy Developments | 8 | 8 | Landfill gas |
| Bolivar waste water treatment plant | SA Water | 9.9 | 4 | sewerage gas |
Hydroelectric Power Stations
Hydroelectric power stations use the power of flowing water to create electricity. They usually have large dams that release water, which then spins water turbines.
| Power Station | Who Owns It | Power It Makes (MW) | Number of Turbines | Pumped Storage? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal Storage Mini Hydro | Hydro Tasmania/SA Water | 3 | 1 | no |
Wind Farms
Wind farms use giant wind turbines to capture the energy from the wind and turn it into electricity. South Australia has many wind farms, making it a leader in renewable energy!
| Power Station | Who Owns It | Power It Makes (MW) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canunda Wind Farm | Engie/Mitsui | 46 | |
| Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm | EnergyAustralia/Acciona | 66 | |
| Clements Gap Wind Farm | Pacific Hydro | 58 | |
| Hallett Wind Farm - Hallett 1 - Brown Hill | AGL Energy | 94.5 | |
| Hallett Wind Farm - Hallett 2 - Hallett Hill | AGL Energy | 71.4 | |
| Hallett Wind Farm - Hallett 4 - North Brown Hill | AGL Energy | 132 | |
| Hallett Wind Farm - Hallett 5 - The Bluff | AGL Energy | 52.5 | |
| Hornsdale Wind Farm | Neoen and Megawatt Capital | 315 | |
| Lake Bonney Wind Farm - Stage 1 | Infigen | 80.5 | |
| Lake Bonney Wind Farm - Stage 2 | Infigen | 159 | |
| Lake Bonney Wind Farm - Stage 3 | Infigen | 39 | |
| Mount Millar Wind Farm | Meridian Energy | 70 | |
| Snowtown Wind Farm | Trustpower | 368.7 | Stage I & II |
| Starfish Hill Wind Farm | RATCH Australia | 34.5 | |
| Waterloo Wind Farm | EnergyAustralia | 111 | |
| Wattle Point Wind Farm | Infrastructure Capital | 90.75 | |
| Lincoln Gap Wind Farm | Lincoln Gap Wind Farm | 212 | Stage 1 (126 MW) Complete. |
| Willogoleche Wind Farm | Engie | 119 |
Solar Power Farms
Solar power farms use solar panels to turn sunlight directly into electricity. Some also use CSP, which uses mirrors to focus sunlight and create heat, which then makes steam to spin turbines.
| Project Name | Location | Power It Makes (MW) | Technology | Status | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bungala Solar Power Farm | 32°25′S 137°50′E / 32.42°S 137.84°E | 220 | PV | Working | Enel Green Power | |
| Tailem Bend Solar Power Farm | 35°17′S 139°29′E / 35.28°S 139.49°E | 108 | PV | Working | Vena Energy | Can make up to 95MW to help the power grid. Vena Energy also plans a second stage. |
| Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park | 110 | PV | Being Built | Iberdrola | This is a mix of 207MW Wind and 110MW Solar. | |
| Aurora Solar Thermal Power Project | 32°12′S 137°36′E / 32.2°S 137.6°E | 150 | CSP | Cancelled | SolarReserve | Stopped in 2019. |
| Cultana Solar Farm | 32°54′S 137°36′E / 32.900°S 137.600°E | 280 | Single axis tracking PV | Cancelled | SIMEC Energy Australia | |
| Bungama Solar | 33°11′S 138°05′E / 33.19°S 138.09°E | 280 | PV | Approved | EPS Energy | EPS Energy also plans to add a 140MW/560MWh Battery Storage System. |
| Bridle Track Solar Project | 300 | PV | Planned | Rise Renewables | ||
| Pallamana Solar Farm | 176 | PV | Approved | RES Australia | RES Australia also plans to add a Battery Storage facility. | |
| Snowtown North Solar Farm | 45 | PV | Planned | Tilt Renewables | Could have up to 25 MW of battery storage. | |
| Solar River Project Stage 1 | 200 | PV | Planned | The Solar River Project | ||
| Solar River Project Stage 2 | 200 | PV | Planned | The Solar River Project | ||
| Sundrop Farms | 32°32′51.4″S 137°50′48.1″E / 32.547611°S 137.846694°E | 39 | CSP | Working | Sundrop Farms | |
| Whyalla Solar Project | 160 | PV | Planned | Adani Australia | ||
| Chaff Mill Solar Farm | 33°53′S 138°46′E / 33.89°S 138.76°E | 100 | PV | Planned | Fotowatio Renewable Ventures |
Battery Storage Systems
Battery storage systems are like giant rechargeable batteries that can store electricity. They are very important because they can store power from renewable sources like wind and solar when it's windy or sunny, and then release it when it's needed, even if there's no wind or sun.
| Power Station | Who Owns It | Power It Makes (MW) | Storage (MWh) | Units | Started Working | Main Power Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornsdale Power Reserve | Neoen | 100 (150 after upgrade) | 129 (193.5 after upgrade) | 197 | 2017 | Wind and battery |
| Lake Bonney Wind Farm | Infigen Energy | 25 | 52 | 2019 | Wind and battery | |
| Dalrymple ESCRI battery | ElectraNet/AGL Energy | 30 | 8 | 2019 | Wattle Point Wind Farm |
See also
- List of power stations in Australia
- Electricity Trust of South Australia
- Wind power in South Australia
