Australia: Origin Energy Opens Gas Fired Power Station

Origin Energy and the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, together with the Minister for Energy and Resources, The Hon Michael O’Brien, officially opened the company’s 550 MW Mortlake Power Station, which is already playing an important role in meeting electricity demand in eastern Australia.

Mortlake is the largest gas-fired power station in Victoria and represents an investment of $810 million by Origin, including the associated gas pipeline. The peaking power station, which typically supplies electricity during periods of high demand, is located 12km west of Mortlake in western Victoria, approximately 220km west of Melbourne.

Mortlake is powered by natural gas from Victoria’s Otway Basin located in Bass Strait. The gas is then piped to Origin’s Otway gas processing plant at Waare near Port Campbell and connected to Mortlake via an 83km dedicated underground pipeline.

Origin Managing Director, Mr Grant King said, “The Mortlake Power Station represents a considerable investment by Origin in Victoria and adds to the Company’s significant presence in the state. This includes Origin’s position as Victoria’s largest energy retailer servicing 1.1 million customers and operator of the Otway and BassGas gas facilities.

“Mortlake Power Station is active demonstration of Origin’s integrated strategy, whereby the energy demands of our customers are supported by our large and flexible portfolio of power stations, many of which are fuelled by the Company’s natural gas resources,” Mr King said.

Mortlake Power Station is a highly efficient open cycle power station which will help guarantee electricity supply reliability for Victorians at the times of greatest need. During these periods, Mortlake has the ability to immediately respond – it can be switched on and commence generating electricity within approximately five minutes.

Origin Chief Executive Officer Energy Markets, Mr Frank Calabria said, “Origin is Australia’s largest power generator, and completion of the Mortlake Power Station strengthens and adds further flexibility to the Company’s 5,900 MW power generation portfolio.

“Mortlake is the largest gas-fired power station in Victoria, with capacity to supply the equivalent of peak power to 250,000 homes.

“The development of the Mortlake Power Station created hundreds of jobs in south-western Victoria, and will support a number of ongoing jobs in the local community,” Mr Calabria said.

The Mortlake Power Station has been designed to provide flexibility to respond to future market conditions. The site has approval to expand its current capacity in the future, and could be converted to a highly efficient, low carbon emissions, combined-cycle baseload plant if market conditions warrant it.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, December 04, 2012; Image: Origin Energy