Whirinaki Power Station
Encyclopedia
The Whirinaki Power Station is an open cycle gas turbine power station at Whirinaki, Hawke's Bay
in New Zealand
.
to build reserve generation on the Whirinaki site. This plant was intended to be a generator of last resort, providing back up generation when needed, such as during times of low hydro lake levels. The power station cost $150 million and was opened in June 2004.
The Electricity Commission
has suggested that the generating units could be relocated, and converted to run on natural gas.
twinpacs, each with two FT8 gas turbines. Designed to be a standby power station
, it has a total capacity of 155MW. The power station is maintained and operated by Contact Energy
and it is state owned. The station was due to be transferred to Meridian Energy
on the 1 October 2010 as part of the 2010 electricity market reforms, but in December 2010, the New Zealand Government announced it intended to sell the plant by open tender.
dairy factory. The remaining three units were sold and removed in 2001 to become three of the six units at the Valley Power Peaking Facility
in Australia.
Whirinaki, Hawke's Bay
Whirinaki is a small settlement in the northern Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's eastern North Island. It lies close to the junction of State Highways 2 and 5, and is most notable as the location of Pan Pac Mill, one of Hawke's Bay's largest industrial plants.- Whirinaki Power Station :The...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Background
Following national power shortages in 2001 and 2003 due to low hydro lake levels, the New Zealand government commissioned Contact EnergyContact Energy
Contact Energy Limited is a New Zealand electricity generator, natural gas wholesaler and electricity, natural gas, and LPG retailer.The company is the second-largest electricity generator in New Zealand , generating 24 percent of New Zealand's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and...
to build reserve generation on the Whirinaki site. This plant was intended to be a generator of last resort, providing back up generation when needed, such as during times of low hydro lake levels. The power station cost $150 million and was opened in June 2004.
The Electricity Commission
Electricity Commission (NZ)
The New Zealand Electricity Commission was a government authority set up in 2003 to regulate the Electricity sector in New Zealand.The Commission was established under the Electricity Act to regulate the operation of the electricity industry and markets in accordance government energy policy...
has suggested that the generating units could be relocated, and converted to run on natural gas.
Operations
The diesel powered power station was opened in 2004, and comprises three Pratt & WhitneyPratt & 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...
twinpacs, each with two FT8 gas turbines. Designed to be a standby power station
Peaking power plant
Peaking power plants, also known as peaker plants, and occasionally just "peakers," are power plants that generally run only when there is a high demand, known as peak demand, for electricity.-Peak hours:...
, it has a total capacity of 155MW. The power station is maintained and operated by Contact Energy
Contact Energy
Contact Energy Limited is a New Zealand electricity generator, natural gas wholesaler and electricity, natural gas, and LPG retailer.The company is the second-largest electricity generator in New Zealand , generating 24 percent of New Zealand's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and...
and it is state owned. The station was due to be transferred to Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
on the 1 October 2010 as part of the 2010 electricity market reforms, but in December 2010, the New Zealand Government announced it intended to sell the plant by open tender.
Site History
The site was previously occupied by a 220 MW power station, which began operation in 1978. This comprised four Pratt & Whitney twinpacs, each with two FT4 gas turbines (based on the JT4A). This plant was fueled with diesel, which meant electricity generation was expensive and the plant operated very rarely. In 1993, one twin-pac was moved to construct a cogeneration plant at the Te AwamutuTe Awamutu
Te Awamutu is a town in the Waikato in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the council seat of the Waipa District and serves as a service town for the farming communities which surround it...
dairy factory. The remaining three units were sold and removed in 2001 to become three of the six units at the Valley Power Peaking Facility
Valley Power Peaking Facility
The Valley Power Peaking Facility is an open cycle, gas turbine power station at Traralgon in the Latrobe Valley in Victoria, Australia. It is owned and operated by Snowy Hydro....
in Australia.