Bell Bay Power Station, Tasmania
Encyclopedia
The Bell Bay Power Station is located on the Tamar River at Bell Bay
, Tasmania
, Australia
. It has two 120 MW gas
fired steam turbines and three 35 MW gas turbines, giving a total capacity of 345 MW of electricity
.
Bell Bay was commissioned in 1971 with a single 120 MW oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox, single drum, reheat boiler, supplying steam to an NEI
Parsons
steam turbine with hydrogen cooled generator. In 1974, a second near identical unit followed. Cooling water is via a once through cooling system, drawing water directly from the Tamar River
. Three fuel oil tanks, each of 15,000 tonne capacity supplied the 600 tonnes of fuel oil per day required to run each of steam sets. Fuel oil was delivered by tank ship and discharged across a dedicated oil jetty at the site. The 110 metre tall stack is a distinctive feature in the area.
The power stations original role was to provide system security and drought relief in Tasmania's predominantly hydro electric based generation system. Because of this role, Bell Bay Power Station had rarely been called on to operate, with intervals of 5 to 8 years between any significant periods generation.
In 2003, Unit one was converted to natural gas
when a pipeline
from Victoria
to Tasmania was established. This was followed in 2004 by a conversion of the second unit from fuel oil to natural gas firing. Three 35 MW gas turbines were added in 2006. These gas turbine units are Pratt & Whitney
FT8 Twin Pac open cycle units, acquired from an existing facility in the US.
Bell Bay is owned and operated by Hydro Tasmania
via wholly owned subsidiary companies, although West Australian power company Alinta
agreed to buy the site in March 2007 for $75 million, to provide back-up power for the proposed
200 MW combined cycle power station in the Tamar Valley
, due for completion in early 2009.. Aurora Energy acquired the ex Alinta Energy combined cycle power station project from the then new owner, Babcock and Brown Power in September 2008.. The Tasmanian Government included a possible transfer of the existing Bell Bay Power Station to Aurora Energy as part of the acquisition. The transfer of the existing two thermal units did not proceed. Hydro Tasmania remains the owner and the station is currently disconnected from the grid in caretaker mode, pending a decision on its future..
Bell Bay, Tasmania
Bell Bay is an industrial centre and port located on the eastern shore of the Tamar River, in northern Tasmania, Australia. It lies just south of George Town.- Industry :It hosts an aluminium smelter and a power station.- Transport :...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has two 120 MW gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
fired steam turbines and three 35 MW gas turbines, giving a total capacity of 345 MW of electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
.
Bell Bay was commissioned in 1971 with a single 120 MW oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox, single drum, reheat boiler, supplying steam to an NEI
Northern Engineering Industries
Northern Engineering Industries plc was a British engineering firm, which for over 10 years was one of the largest employers on Tyneside. It was based in Gosforth in Newcastle upon Tyne.-History:...
Parsons
Parsons Corporation
Parsons Corporation is an engineering, construction, and technical and management services firm headquartered in Pasadena, California. Founded in 1944 by engineer Ralph M. Parsons, Parsons Corporation is currently one of the largest such companies in the United States, with revenues exceeding...
steam turbine with hydrogen cooled generator. In 1974, a second near identical unit followed. Cooling water is via a once through cooling system, drawing water directly from the Tamar River
Tamar River (Tasmania)
The Tamar River is a 70 kilometre estuarine in northern Tasmania formed by the merging of the North Esk River and South Esk Rivers at Launceston to its mouth at Low Head, north of the second largest settlement George Town and into the Bass Strait...
. Three fuel oil tanks, each of 15,000 tonne capacity supplied the 600 tonnes of fuel oil per day required to run each of steam sets. Fuel oil was delivered by tank ship and discharged across a dedicated oil jetty at the site. The 110 metre tall stack is a distinctive feature in the area.
The power stations original role was to provide system security and drought relief in Tasmania's predominantly hydro electric based generation system. Because of this role, Bell Bay Power Station had rarely been called on to operate, with intervals of 5 to 8 years between any significant periods generation.
In 2003, Unit one was converted to natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
when a pipeline
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
from Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
to Tasmania was established. This was followed in 2004 by a conversion of the second unit from fuel oil to natural gas firing. Three 35 MW gas turbines were added in 2006. These gas turbine units are Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
FT8 Twin Pac open cycle units, acquired from an existing facility in the US.
Bell Bay is owned and operated by Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
via wholly owned subsidiary companies, although West Australian power company Alinta
Alinta
Alinta is an Australian energy infrastructure company. It has grown from a small, Western Australia based gas distributor and retailer to the largest energy infrastructure company in Australia. It was bought in 2007 by a consortium including Singapore Power and various now defunct Babcock & Brown...
agreed to buy the site in March 2007 for $75 million, to provide back-up power for the proposed
Alinta Tamar Power Station
Aurora Energy Tamar Valley Power Station is a $230 million gas power station located at Tamar Valley. At the time of conception, the Tasmanian Government allowed Aurora Energy to enter into long term energy supply agreement with Alinta...
200 MW combined cycle power station in the Tamar Valley
Tamar Valley, Tasmania
The Tamar Valley is a picturesque valley in Tasmania. It runs north-west from the northern city of Launceston to the coast either side of the Tamar River, a distance of approximately 50 km....
, due for completion in early 2009.. Aurora Energy acquired the ex Alinta Energy combined cycle power station project from the then new owner, Babcock and Brown Power in September 2008.. The Tasmanian Government included a possible transfer of the existing Bell Bay Power Station to Aurora Energy as part of the acquisition. The transfer of the existing two thermal units did not proceed. Hydro Tasmania remains the owner and the station is currently disconnected from the grid in caretaker mode, pending a decision on its future..
External links
- Hydro Tasmania page on Bell Bay