Private Brisbane company ERM Power is expected to proceed shortly with a new gas-fired power station at Neerabup, just north of Perth, after gaining environmental approval.
Private Brisbane company ERM Power is expected to proceed shortly with a new gas-fired power station at Neerabup, just north of Perth, after gaining environmental approval.
The 330MW open-cycle peak-load plant will be additional to ERM's 320MW base load power station, curently under construction at Kwinana and due to be completed in 2008.
An EPA annuncement is pasted below:
EPA Bulletin 1268 - EPA recommends acceptability of a 330MW Gas-Fired Power Station at Neerabup
The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended environmental approval for NewGen Neerabup Pty Ltd gas fired power plant
The EPA has set an Environmental Protection Statement (EPS) level of assessment and released its recommendations to Environment Minister David Templeman on the proposal to construct and operate a 330 megawatt open cycle gas turbine power station at Pederick Road Neerabup, 30 kilometers north of Perth. Also to be constructed are a 30 kilometer gas pipeline and compressor station to transport natural gas from the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline and a 2 kilometer, 330kV electricity transmission line.
EPA Chairman, Barry Carbon, said the Authority considered that the proposal described can be managed in an environmentally acceptable manner.
The power station would mainly operate as a peaking plant to provide electricity to the South West Interconnected System during periods of high power demand (normally morning and evening peaks and shoulder periods) and is predicted to operate for approximately 2600 hours per year. Gas only will be used and there is no facility for the storage of diesel as a backup fuel.
"The gas pipeline lateral and electricity transmission line would be mainly located within previously disturbed areas, the site for the power station has been previously cleared and the proponent would be required to limit the extent of disturbance during construction, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas such as Bush Forever Sites and wetlands," Mr Carbon said.
"Gas emissions are expected to be within national standards however, recommendations require stack testing and on going monitoring with annual reporting.
"Noise emissions are expected to be within Western Australian Regulation requirements but monitoring has been recommended to ensure that this is so."
The EPA has also drawn the attention of Government to the Neerabup Airshed's capacity to accommodate additional ozone generating atmospheric emissions with potential environmental constraints for future industrial development in the Neerabup area. Airshed capacity could be freed up if existing sources in the area were required to reduce their emissions.
The EPS level of assessment and EPA's report (available at www.epa.wa.gov.au) are subject to appeal until close of business 12 November 2007. The EPS document is available at www.ermpower.com.au. Appeals will be considered by the Independent Appeals Convenor (9221 8711).
The final decision will be made by the Minister for the Environment.
Media contact: Barry Carbon 0413 352 471
