Balmain Power Station, New South Wales

The Balmain Power Station was located at Iron Cove, four kilometers from Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The station no longer exists and residential properties now occupy the site. This plant is often confused with the White Bay Power Station the remains of which are still standing in Rozelle.

History

In 1903, the Public Health Department directed Balmain Council to find alternatives to the open tip dumping of local rubbish. The council invited tenders for a combined garbage destructor and power plant and on the 30th September 1909, the newly constructed power station 'A' commenced operation. A second phase of construction took place between 1940 and 1950 with the addition of station 'B' which doubled the generation capacity of the plant.

The original station was a private facility, owned by the Electric Light and Power Supply Corporation (EL&PSC), which supplied electricity to consumers and businesses in Balmain, Leichhardt, Ashfield, Newtown and Petersham. It also supplied power to large enterprises in the local area including Mort's Dock and the Balmain Colliery.

In 1950, The Electricity Commission (Balmain Electric Light Company Purchase) Act was passed to embody the acquisition of the plant by the New South Wales Electricity Commission. A legal dispute over the valuation of the power station then ensued which delayed the sale until January 1957 when the plant changed hands for A$2.4m. The plant continued to supply power until 1976 when it was decommissioned.

Today

The station was demolished in 1998 to make way for the "Balmain Shores" apartment complex which now occupies the site. Only two of the original buildings remain as part of the new development:

Power Station 'A' Pump House

This 1934 building is located on the foreshore and was used as a pump house for the Balmain power station. Cool water was drawn from the river and pumped to the station using electric pumps. The water was used to cool condensers before being pumped back to the river.

None of the original machinery exists in the well preserved red brick building, however at the eastern end hang the original copper letters spelling the words "Power Station" which were salvaged from the main building prior to demolition.

Administration Block

The former administration block of the Power Station was built in the 1930s and housed offices for the EL&PSC. The building has since been renamed "The Villa" and forms part of the "Balmain Shores" complex. It was declared a heritage building prior to the official re-opening in March 2003.

ee also

*Electricity
*Electricity generation
*Future energy development
*Renewable energy
*Environmental concerns with electricity generation

References

* State Records NSW, Electricity Commission of New South Wales, [http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Details/Agency_Detail.asp?Id=500 Agency Detail]
* Solling, M; Reynolds, P; "Leichhardt: On the margins of the city", Allen & Unwin, 1997, ISBN 1-86448-408-X.
* Pacific Power, "Demolition of Balmain Power Station, Rozelle. Statement of Environmental Effects", Pacific Power Services, October 1994.
* The Balmain Association, "Peninsula Observer", Volume 28, Number 6, Issue 226, December 1993.
* NSW Government - Department of Planning, [http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/harbour/walking.asp "Harbour Circle Walk - Loop and Alternate Walks"]
* On-site Information Plaques, Balmain Shores Apartment Complex, Rozelle, NSW.

External links

* [http://photosau.com/Leichhardt/scripts/home.asp Local Images at InnerWest ImageBank]
* [http://www.lmc.nsw.gov.au/libraries/07 Local History Collection, Leichhardt Council]