Stratford Power Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stratford Power Station |
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|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Taranaki |
| Coordinates | 39°19′56″S 174°19′8″E / 39.33222°S 174.31889°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1998, 2010 |
| Decommission date | 2001 |
| Owner(s) | Contact Energy |
The Stratford Power Station is a big power plant in Taranaki, New Zealand. It's located near the town of Stratford. This station can make 577 megawatts of electricity. That's enough to power many homes!
It uses natural gas to create power. The station has one special unit called a combined cycle unit. It also has two other units that use gas turbines. The company Contact Energy owns and runs this important power station.
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How the Stratford Power Station Started
The first power station at this site was finished in 1976. It was smaller, making 200 megawatts of power. This first plant had four units. Each unit used two gas turbines. These turbines were like big jet engines, but for making electricity. They used natural gas to run. This type of plant was called "open cycle." This means the hot gas from the turbines went straight into the air.
Different companies owned and ran these units over the years. These included NZED, NZE, and ECNZ. Finally, Contact Energy took over. The original four units were taken out of service in 2001. They were later used to help build another power plant.
Making Power with Less Pollution
In 1993, a plan was made to make the Stratford power station bigger. The Environment Minister, Simon Upton, looked into this plan. People were worried about the power station's impact on the environment. They were concerned about carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is a gas that can cause climate change.
In 1995, a group decided the bigger station would make more carbon dioxide. This would make it harder for New Zealand to reach its goals. New Zealand had promised to reduce greenhouse gases. So, they said the power company had to plant forests. These forests would help soak up the carbon dioxide. This is like creating a "carbon sink."
Minister Upton agreed to the expansion. But he said forests must be planted. Or, the company had to find other ways to reduce pollution. However, in 2003, the rule about planting forests was removed.
The Combined Cycle Plant
Today, a big part of the station is the 377 megawatt combined cycle unit. This unit is very efficient. It uses a special gas turbine. It also uses a cooling tower to cool down water. This water comes from the Patea River. This part of the plant is called TCC. TCC stands for Taranaki Combined Cycle.
Building this part of the station started in 1996. It began making power in 1998. Contact Energy bought this efficient plant in 2003.
The Peaker Plant for Extra Power
Between 2009 and 2010, more power-making units were added. These new units can make 200 megawatts of power. They are two gas turbine units. They work in an "open cycle" way. These units are called "peaker plants."
Peaker plants are used when there is a very high demand for electricity. They help when other power sources, like hydro or wind, aren't making enough power. New Zealand's Prime Minister, John Key, officially opened these units in 2011.
