Independent electricity retailer Perth Energy will manage the operation and maintenance of the recently-opened 82 megawatt Merredin power station, under a $20 million deal with the station's owner, Merredin Energy.
Perth Energy will also act as Merredin Energy's representative to sell electricity generated at the diesel-fuelled gas turbine plant to a range of customers in Western Australia's Wholesale Electricity Market, Merredin Energy said in a statement today.
“We will leverage Perth Energy's experience to assist us in reaching our commitment of maintaining very high availability factors in an area where reserve capacity is important,” Merredin Energy project manager Shane Jones said.
Perth Energy managing director Ky Cao said the agreement would enable the company to take advantage of operational synergies between its 120MW dual fuel power station in Kwinana and the Merredin plant.
Mr Cao said Lindsay Ward had been appointed as general manager of the Merredin station.
Mr Ward previously worked as general manager of the 1,450MW Yalloum power facility in Victoria's Latrobe Valley, among several other senior roles in Victorian infrastructure.
“We are delighted to be able to recruit additional resources to service both the Merredin plant and our existing generation asset following this contract win,” Mr Cao said.
The $93 million Merredin power station was officially opened by Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls last month.
Electricity generated from the plant will feed into the South West Interconnected System, and will help to reduce energy losses associated with transmission of energy from Verve Energy's Muja power station in Collie, through the wheatbelt and to the Goldfields.
