Huntly power station

Infobox Power Station
station_name=Huntly Power Station


location=Huntly, Waikato District, Waikato
owner=Genesis Energy
status=
fuel_type= Coal/Gas
mine_type=
conveyance=
cooling_water= Freshwater from the Waikato River
technology=
combined_cycle=
turbines= 5
reciprocating_engines=
pumped_storage=
max_capacity= 1485 MW
commissioned= 1982
decommissioned=
extra=

The Huntly power station is the largest thermal power station in New Zealand and is located in the town of Huntly in the Waikato. It is operated by Genesis Energy, a state-owned enterprise, and supplies around 17% of the country's power.

Operation

Generation

The Huntly power station consists of three separate generating plants - a 1000MW coal and gas-fired steam plant, a 50MW gas turbine generator, and a 385MW combined cycle gas turbine plant.

Each of the four original coal-fired units, installed in stages between 1973 and 1985, is capable of generating 250 MW (Megawatts) of electricity, giving a generating capacity of 1000 MW. [http://www.genesisenergy.co.nz/genesis/generation/our-thermal-plants/en/our-thermal-plants_home.cfm Our Thermal Plants] (from the Genesis Energy website)] Its chimneys are 150 metres high and each chimney has two flues that are 7 metres in diameter.

In 2004 the power station was upgraded with the addition of a 50MW gas turbine plant, and in 2007 the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant was commissioned. [ [http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/e3p+leads+way+towards+sustainable+nz e3p leads the way towards a sustainable NZ] - Beehive, 31 August 2007] This plant increased the total generating capacity of Huntly by 385 MW (250 MW gas turbine + 135 MW steam turbine). The new turbine is a NZ$ 520 million investment" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10425858 Protesters could be charged over power station climb] " - "New Zealand Herald", Monday 26 February 2007] and takes the total installed capacity to 1485MW. [ [http://www.crownminerals.govt.nz/cms/news/2006/genesis-385mw-gas-fired-power-station-nears-completion-at-huntly Genesis 385MW gas-fired power station nears completion at Huntly] - Ministry of Economic Development, 14 September 2006]

Huntly runs at a load factor of 85% and is currently used to provide a large amount of the baseload energy needs of the northern North Island.

Fuel & coolant

The coal used in the older section of the power plant is imported to 50% from Indonesia, and to 50% mined in New Zealand. The gas for the newer turbines comes from the Maui gas field in the Taranaki. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=214&objectid=10422528 Power station opens at Huntly] " - "New Zealand Herald", Friday 13 April, 2007] Previous to the substitution of coal, Huntly used gas from the field to power the generation of the main units as well, but these were switched in the 1990s because of dwindling resources."Tough choices on power" - "New Zealand Herald", Thursday 06 September 2007]

The station uses water from the Waikato River for cooling. However, in order to protect aquatic life, conditions are imposed by its resource consent (see Resource Management Act), specifying the quantity of water that can be removed by the station along with the maximum temperature of the water when returned to the river (25°C). These conditions mean that on very hot summer days the station cannot operate at maximum capacity, and has sometimes effectively been shut down. A new cooling tower has been built as part of expansion works at the site, which allows one 250 MW unit to run at full load even during such times.

Future

The plant, as one of the biggest carbon dioxide greenhouse gas generators of the country, has repeatedly drawn the ire of ecologists and has been the focus of associated protests. A recent (late 2006) government report outlining future anti-climate change and energy policies was seen by the operator as a sign that the plant might have to be closed by 2015 under these plans, with around 10 years of design life still remaining. It was also noted that, that apart from being difficult to replace as a source of power (due to New Zealand's annually growing generation demand, especially around Auckland), such a decision would also be uneconomical for the foreseeable future, even if coal prices were to rise. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=214&objectid=10433978 Little gain for the power consumer's pain] " - "New Zealand Herald", Friday 13 April 2007]

ee also

* Electrical energy in New Zealand
* Genesis Energy
* Marsden B
* Waikato River

References

External links

* [http://www.genesisenergy.co.nz/genesis/generation/our-thermal-plants/en/our-thermal-plants_home.cfm Our Thermal Plants - Huntly] (from the Genesis Energy website)