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Kwinana Power Station
Release Date: 06 February 2007
Continued uncertainty about gas supplies means Verve Energy will continue burning coal at the Kwinana Power Station.
Station manager Roy Zylstra said it was imperative that Verve Energy minimized the risk of any interruption to fuel supplies for power stations.
If that were to occur, there would be a heightened risk of electricity shortages.
For that reason Verve Energy wants to be able to burn coal at Kwinana Power station until at least 2015.
That will ensure the power station can continue to produce electricity for West Australians at all times it is required, he said.
Current position:
- Verve Energy has begun community consultation to explain the strategy.
- During discussions, the Department of Conservation and Environment acknowledged that coal burning was a commercial reality.
- An Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) would be prepared later this year through the Kwinana Industries Council Community and Industries Forum. The EIP would be a public document which outlined environmental management commitments.
- New power station operating licence conditions, such as emissions targets, were likely to be imposed.
Mr Zylstra said two of the six Kwinana Power Station generating units (in Stage B) would close in 2008 as part of our licensing agreement with the Independent Market Operator.
The future of another two units (in Stage A), which burn gas, coal or liquids, was being reviewed.
Kwinana Power Station’s installed generating capacity could be reduced from its current 880 megawatts to 400MW by 2009 and bring Verve Energy’s total generating capacity down to 3000MW and conform with our licence to operate.
Coal burning at KPS would continue to average slightly over 500,000 tonnes a year until about 2009. Then the coal burn dropped to less than 200,000 tonnes a year. These remaining two units (in Stage C) burn gas, coal or liquids.
Although continuing coal burning at Kwinana Power Station meant a small increase in sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate emissions, they would remain within the limits set in the power station’s licence and the Kwinana Environmental Protection Policy. There would be no additional impact on the Cockburn Sound.
More information can be obtained by contacting Verve Energy’s Environmental Manager Peter Christian
Any queries from the media are directed to Verve Energy's Corporate Relations branch.
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