Bunnerong Power Station, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Bunnerong Power Station is a demolished former coal-powered electric power station in the south-eastern Sydney
suburb of Matraville
, New South Wales
, Australia
. When the last generating units were commissioned, it was the largest power station in New South Wales, with a capacity of 375 MW. It was able to supply up to one third of the state's electricity needs at the time. It remained the most powerful until the completion of larger power stations such as Vales Point in the 1960s.
In 1924, the 117 acre site for the power station was chosen.
The station was located on Bunnerong Road in Matraville. Having a wide variety of electrical and mechanical equipment, it was originally built with Babcock & Wilcox boilers and 25 MW Parsons
turbo-alternators between 1926 and 1929 by the Sydney Municipal Council, the authority responsible for electricity services at the time. Later, 50 MW Parsons
turbo-alternators were added, with boilers from the Foster Wheeler Corporation
. The Council operated its own private railway which connected the power station with Botany Goods Yard. The railway continued to operate as a private line when the power station was taken over by the Electricity Commission, including the shunting of a siding to the BORAL
plant. On 19 November 1966, there was a fatal accident when a train ran away down the steep grade of this siding.
There were three boiler houses. Bunnerong A had 18 Babcock and Wilcox boilers, Bunnerong B had 4 Babcock and 2 Gibson Battle boilers and Bunnerong C had 4 Simon-Carves boilers.
power stations. Demolition commenced in 1978, and was finally completed in 1994, when the remaining switch house was levelled.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of Matraville
Matraville, New South Wales
Matraville is an older established area of the lower Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Matraville is located approximately 9 kilometres by road south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, 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...
. When the last generating units were commissioned, it was the largest power station in New South Wales, with a capacity of 375 MW. It was able to supply up to one third of the state's electricity needs at the time. It remained the most powerful until the completion of larger power stations such as Vales Point in the 1960s.
In 1924, the 117 acre site for the power station was chosen.
The station was located on Bunnerong Road in Matraville. Having a wide variety of electrical and mechanical equipment, it was originally built with Babcock & Wilcox boilers and 25 MW Parsons
C. A. Parsons and Company
C. A. Parsons and Company was a British engineering firm which was once one of the largest employers on Tyneside.-History:The Company was founded by Charles Algernon Parsons in 1889 to produce turbo-generators, his own invention. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the company was producing...
turbo-alternators between 1926 and 1929 by the Sydney Municipal Council, the authority responsible for electricity services at the time. Later, 50 MW Parsons
C. A. Parsons and Company
C. A. Parsons and Company was a British engineering firm which was once one of the largest employers on Tyneside.-History:The Company was founded by Charles Algernon Parsons in 1889 to produce turbo-generators, his own invention. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the company was producing...
turbo-alternators were added, with boilers from the Foster Wheeler Corporation
Foster Wheeler Corporation
Foster Wheeler is a global conglomerate incorporated in Switzerland and with its principal executive offices in New Jersey. It is focused on Engineering, Procurement, and Construction and on power...
. The Council operated its own private railway which connected the power station with Botany Goods Yard. The railway continued to operate as a private line when the power station was taken over by the Electricity Commission, including the shunting of a siding to the BORAL
Boral
Boral is a multinational company dealing in building and construction materials. Founded in Australia, it also has extensive operations in the USA and Asia. Boral was demerged from the 'old' Boral Limited in February 2000. The 'old' Boral Limited, comprising energy assets, was renamed Origin Energy...
plant. On 19 November 1966, there was a fatal accident when a train ran away down the steep grade of this siding.
There were three boiler houses. Bunnerong A had 18 Babcock and Wilcox boilers, Bunnerong B had 4 Babcock and 2 Gibson Battle boilers and Bunnerong C had 4 Simon-Carves boilers.
Closure and Demolition
The power station closed in 1973 after local concerns about ash pollution and the construction of the Lake MacquarieLake Macquarie
The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, approximately north of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to the city of Newcastle and was proclaimed as a city from 7 September 1984.-The City of Lake Macquarie:...
power stations. Demolition commenced in 1978, and was finally completed in 1994, when the remaining switch house was levelled.