Marsden B facts for kids

Marsden B was a large power station in New Zealand that was never used. It was built to make electricity using oil. The station was located near the Marsden Point Oil Refinery in Marsden Point, Northland.

Even though it was built, Marsden B was never turned on to make power. This was because the price of oil went up a lot in the 1970s. It became too expensive to run compared to other ways of making electricity. The plant was eventually taken apart and sent to India in 2012. The area also has the Marsden A power station, which is now used by Mercury Energy.

Marsden B: An Unused Power Station

Building and Mothballing

Marsden B was built as an oil-fired power station in the late 1970s. It was meant to work alongside the nearby Marsden A power station. However, it was never actually used to produce electricity. This was because oil prices rose sharply. Also, New Zealand found cheaper ways to make power, like using natural gas or hydroelectricity from the South Island.

Because it wasn't needed, the power station was "mothballed." This means it was carefully stored and protected. Workers put special anti-rust coatings on its parts and checked them regularly. This was done in case it might be needed in the future. Over time, some smaller parts were moved to other power stations around the country. The tall chimneys for both Marsden A and B were taken down later.

Plans for Coal Power

In 2004, a company called Mighty River Power suggested a new idea for Marsden B. They wanted to change it so it could burn coal instead of oil. This idea had actually been thought of back in the 1970s. For this to work, a new Marsden Point Branch railway line would need to be built. This railway would bring in all the coal needed for the power station.

This plan caused a lot of discussion and protest. Many people were worried about the environment. They sent in a record number of comments, mostly against the idea. In 2005, a group called Greenpeace New Zealand even occupied the site to protest.

Protests and Legal Challenges

The proposal to use coal at Marsden B led to many protests and legal battles. Here are some key events:

• October 2004: Mighty River Power asked for permission to restart Marsden B using coal.
• February 2005: Greenpeace activists stayed on the roof of Marsden B for nine days. This brought national attention to the issue. Over 4,000 comments were sent to the local council, with most people saying no to the plan.
• September 2005: The Northland Regional Council gave permission for the power station to reopen using coal. This would have been the first major coal-fired power station in New Zealand in over 25 years.
• October 2005: Greenpeace and other community groups challenged this decision in the Environment Court.
• July 2006: The Environment Court said that climate change did not need to be considered when deciding on Marsden B.
• August 2006: Greenpeace appealed this decision to the High Court of New Zealand.
• October 2006: The High Court disagreed with the Environment Court. It said that climate change did need to be considered.
• March 2007: After all the protests and legal challenges, Mighty River Power decided to give up their plans to use coal at Marsden B.

Sale and Dismantling

In 2009, Mighty River Power sold the Marsden B plant. It was sold for $20 million to an Indian company called United Telecom. Permission to take the plant apart was given in June 2011. Later that year, about 20,000 tonnes of equipment from the power station were dismantled and shipped to India.