Article: $3.6 billion project for Ipswich

[colinw]

Queensland Times -> click here

A NEW billion-dollar gas-fired power station expected to generate massive electricity and hundreds of jobs will be built in Ipswich.

Premier Anna Bligh made the announcement about the power station and a similar station in Gladstone in State Parliament this morning.

The Premier said leading energy company TRUenergy would build the stations to be powered with gas from the State's south-west gas fields.

She said that meant they would emit up to 50 per cent less carbon dioxide than a coal-fired station.

Ms Bligh said the investment is worth up to $3.6 billion and would create about 1000 construction jobs from early 2013.

The Ipswich power station will be on a 500ha industrial park near the Swanbank B coal-fired power station which will close next.

When Swanbank B closes what happens to the Bundamba to Swanbank rail line?

[colinw]

And from the Government:

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=77242

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

PREMIER AND TRUENERGY ANNOUNCE PLAN TO POWER QUEENSLAND BRIGHT FUTURE

Premier Anna Bligh and leading energy company TRUenergy have announced a multi-billion investment in two new gas fired power stations that will help power Queensland's bright future.

The stations will be developed in Ipswich and in Gladstone and will be powered with gas from the State's south west gas fields meaning they will emit up to 50% less CO2 than a coal-fired station.

The Premier made the announcement shortly before she addressed the annual Queensland Major projects Conference in Brisbane today.

"This investment, worth up to $3.6 billion, will mean around 1,000 jobs in construction from early 2013 for each project and will increase the State's overall electricity generation capacity by 20%," said the Premier.

"It is also the first major investment in energy since the carbon price was passed and that shows that gas can compete in a carbon-priced economy.

"The stations will be where we forecast our highest population growth in the Western Corridor and our greatest industrial growth in Gladstone at the centre of our new LNG exporting industry.

"These stations will plug us all in to a future that is brighter than anything in our history and investments like this from TRUenergy are just the start of what is on the horizon for our State."

The Premier said TRUenergy had commenced the development application process for the two high-efficiency gas-fired power stations.

The power stations will be developed in stages with the initial units sized at around 500MW and have a total capacity of up to 1500MW each depending on energy demands.

The Ipswich Power Station will be located within a 500ha industrial park, on land already zoned for heavy industrial use, near the existing Swanbank B coal fired power station which will close in April 2012.

The Aldoga Power Station, will be located in the 26,000ha Gladstone State Development Area on land already zoned for heavy industrial use.

TRUenergy's Managing Director, Richard McIndoe, said: "Queensland is the right state for these developments. The Australian Electricity Market Operator has forecast that the state will need additional investment by 2014 in order to meet the growing needs of households, business and industry.

"Our decision to look to Queensland for these two important developments has also been encouraged by the state's energy supply strategy that was released in November last year and reinforced the importance of private investment in energy supply.

"We are proposing to develop the power stations using the newest natural gas-fired turbines, which will emit less carbon than existing coal-fired power plants."

TRUenergy will seek to have the sites permitted for both open cycle and combined cycle gas turbine technology.

Open cycle electricity generators use a gas turbine to produce electricity. Natural gas is burned to create hot combustion gases, which then passes through a turbine. The turbine shaft is used to drive a generator to produce electricity. OCGT power stations are quick start and are often used to manage peak demand periods such as hot weather events when additional power is needed.

A CCGT power plant generates electricity even more efficiently than an OCGT power plant. Exhaust gas from the gas turbine from the first stage is directed to a boiler to produce steam, which turns a second turbine to create additional electricity. A condenser then cools the steam to water, which is then returned to the boiler to repeat the cycle. CCGT power stations are used more frequently than OCGT plants to provide intermediate or baseload power.

"A final decision on the most appropriate technology to match the electricity demand can be taken prior to construction. If open cycle technology is used it will be flexible enough to be converted to combined cycle at a later stage as required," said Mr McIndoe.

The permitting process will occur over the next 12 months. Subject to the receipt of all permitting and development approvals, construction could begin as early as 2013. Each power station will involve investment of approximately $1.8 billion.

TRUenergy has already developed and now operates one of Australia's most efficient thermal power stations, the combined cycle Tallawarra Power Station near Wollongong in New South Wales.

[petey3801]

Queensland Times -> click here

A NEW billion-dollar gas-fired power station expected to generate massive electricity and hundreds of jobs will be built in Ipswich.

Premier Anna Bligh made the announcement about the power station and a similar station in Gladstone in State Parliament this morning.

The Premier said leading energy company TRUenergy would build the stations to be powered with gas from the State's south-west gas fields.

She said that meant they would emit up to 50 per cent less carbon dioxide than a coal-fired station.

Ms Bligh said the investment is worth up to $3.6 billion and would create about 1000 construction jobs from early 2013.

The Ipswich power station will be on a 500ha industrial park near the Swanbank B coal-fired power station which will close next.

When Swanbank B closes what happens to the Bundamba to Swanbank rail line?

Last time I was out there, there was a massive concrete stop block and a large pile of ballast over the track just after Swanbank station, prohibiting access to the Swanbank Power Station balloon loop. AIUI, the last (non-heritage) train to use the branch was the coal train that went down there just after the Toowoomba Range/Western Line was reopened after the floods to dispose of coal settled into the wagons...

[colinw]

Hmmm.  I have to wonder if we will manage to once more achieve that uniquely QLD phenomenon of ripping out a rail line just as an area starts developing massively.

[SurfRail]

Hmmm.  I have to wonder if we will manage to once more achieve that uniquely QLD phenomenon of ripping out a rail line just as an area starts developing massively.

At least QPSR is still using most of the line there.  (Maybe little Kilrie will be the engine that could!)