Wallerawang Power Station

Decommissioned thermal coal power station near Wallerawang, Australia

Wallerawang Power Station was a thermal coal power station, located near Wallerawang, in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. The power station was equipped with two turbo alternators of each, supplied by CA Parsons and Company of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Production commenced in May 1957. In July 2013, EnergyAustralia acquired Wallerawang Power Station, along with Mount Piper Power Station, from Delta Electricity for $160 million. Due to dwindling demand, the first of the two generating units had been mothballed in January 2013, and the second in April 2014. In November 2014, EnergyAustralia announced that it would permanently close Wallerawang due to ongoing reduced energy demand, lack of access to competitively priced coal and the power station's high operating costs. EnergyAustralia began the process of removing useful equipment from the station in 2015. The plant was finally demolished in 2021 using controlled demolition.

Wallerawang A – originally built with four British Thomson Houston single cylinder generators, completed in 1957–1959. Steam was supplied to each generator by a John Thompson 'Etaflow' boiler at a rate of at and Wallerawang A was decommissioned in May 1986. Wallerawang B – comprised two General Electric 2–cylinder turbines with hydrogen cooled generators completed in 1961. Steam was supplied to each generator by a John Thompson boiler at a rate of at and Wallerawang B was decommissioned in 1990. Wallerawang C — comprised two units were completed in 1976 and 1980. Due to dwindling energy demand, in January 2013 the NSW government owned corporation, Delta Electricity, mothballed one of the two remaining units of Wallerawang C for twelve months. The other was also mothballed 15 months later. The coal for Wallerawang Power Station came from mines in the local area, delivered by private road. 75% of the coal comes from the Centennial Coal owned Angus Place colliery. Wallerawang Power Station drew its cooling water from Lake Wallace and Thompson's Creek dam, fresh water lakes on the Coxs River. Water from Lake Lyell and mine dewatering projects can also supply water in times of shortage. In 2007 and in 2009, water shortages occurred in the Fish River system, causing concern that the generating facility would be forced to close. Oberon Shire was also concerned about the level of potable water available from the Oberon Dam, a water cooling source for Wallerawang Power Station.