Tarong Power Station
{{#badges: CoalSwarm|Navbar-Australiacoal}}Tarong power station is a 700-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Queensland, Australia.
Contents
Location
The map below shows the location of the plant, near Nanango, Queensland. The Tarong North Power Station is located immediately to the north.
Background on Plant
The Tarong Power Station is operated by Tarong Energy and is located 180 kilometres north-west of Brisbane. It uses black coal, was commissioned between 1984-86 and generates 1,400 megawatts.[1] The power station sources 7 million tonnes of coal a year from the adjacent Meandu mine.[2]
In mid-October 2012 Stanwell announced that it would mothball two of the plant's five 350MW units due to an "over-supplied energy market with lower than forecast electricity demand". Stanwell stated that the plants would be closed "for at least two years or until wholesale electricity demand improves" in order to "lower its operation and maintenance costs and reduce its carbon emissions.”[3]
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) estimates that Tarong Power Station will operate for the duration of its 50-year life cycle, or until 2037.[4]
Health Risks
A March 2019 analysis by Environmental Justice Australia's (EJA) National Pollutant Inventory found that Tarong emitted more than 2 million kilograms (kg) of fine particle pollution, 15 times more than Origin Energy’s 2880 MW Eraring power station in New South Wales, over a twelve-month period in 2017-2018. EJA argues that state governments could easily cut fine particle pollution, mercury, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide pollution by over 95 per cent by requiring utilities to install best-available pollution control technology.[5]
Plant Details
- Sponsor: Stanwell Corp Ltd
- Parent company: Stanwell
- Location: Nanango, Queensland, Australia
- Coordinates: -26.7836883, 151.9152739 (exact)
- Status: Operating
- Gross capacity: 700 MW (Units 1 & 2: 350 MW)
- Type: Subcritical
- In service: 1984-85
- Coal type: Sub-bituminous
- Coal source:
- Source of financing:
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ "What we do: Tarong Power station", Tarong Energy website, accessed May 2011.
- ↑ "What we do: Meandu Mine", Tarong Energy website, accessed May 2011.
- ↑ "Stanwell to withdraw Tarong Power Station units from service", Media Release, October 11, 2012.
- ↑ 2018 Integrated System Plan, AEMO, Jul. 17, 2018
- ↑ Coal-fired power, coal mines continue to head toxic pollutants list, Brisbane Times, Mar. 31, 2019
