Muja Power Station

Muja Power Station is a power station 22 km (14 mi) east of Collie, Western Australia. It has eight steam turbines served by coal-fired boilers that together generate a total capacity of 854 megawatts of electricity. It is the largest power station in the South West Interconnected System, accounting for roughly 15 percent of capacity.[1] The coal is mined in the nearby Collie Sub-basin. On 14 June 2022 the state government announced that Synergy would close Muja Power Station by 2029.[2]

Muja Power Station
CountryAustralia
LocationCollie, Western Australia
Coordinates33°26′47″S 116°18′25″E
StatusOperational
Commission date21 April 1966
Owner(s)Synergy
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Power generation
Units operationalStage C, Stage D
Units decommissionedStage A, Stage B
Nameplate capacity1094 MW
External links
Websitewww.synergy.net.au
CommonsRelated media on Commons

The station was first commissioned on 21 April 1966. Currently four of the eight turbines are running (units 5 through to 8). Muja has four 60 megawatts units (stages A and B), two 200 megawatts units (stage C) and two 227 megawatts units (stage D).[3]

According to the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI), Muja Power Station is one of the biggest emitters of air pollution in Australia, including high emissions of beryllium, fluoride and particulate matter. Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates that, in 2009, Muja Power Station emitted 5.75 million tonnes (12.7 billion pounds) of CO2 to generate 5.05 terawatt-hours (18.2 petajoules) of electricity.[4]

In household consumer terms, this equates to 1.14 kilograms (2.5 lb) of CO2 emitted for each one kilowatt-hour (kWh), or 3.6 megajoules, of electricity produced and fed into the electricity grid.[4] That is, Muja Power Station emits slightly more CO2 per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced than nearby Collie Power Station (1.13 kilograms or 2.5 pounds) and much more than Bluewaters Power Station (0.825 kilograms or 1.82 pounds) based on estimates for the same year.[4]

Refurbishment

The four smallest and least efficient units (each of 60 megawatts), stages A and B, were closed in April 2007. In June 2008 it was announced that these older generator units would be recommissioned, due to a statewide natural gas shortage.[5] Verve Energy entered into a joint venture with engineering firm Kempe of Geelong to refurbish four mothballed generating units of Muja.[6] In 2010, a A$150 million loan was taken by Kempe subsidiary Inalco with a guarantee from Verve Energy.[7]

2012 explosion

In 2012 during the attempted recommissioning of stages A and B, an explosion occurred in unit 3 at the refurbished A B area due to corroded piping.[8] A man was burnt, though the station continued to operate (stage C, D) during the incident. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union state secretary Steve McCartney hailed the lack of casualties as "a miracle".[9] The joint venture collapsed amid massive cost overruns and an explosion caused by corroded boiler tubes that were not properly inspected before the refurbishment plan was approved.[6][7] Kempe ran into financial difficulty and has been trying to exit the joint venture for a year.[7] Before Verve's decision on refurbishment, a number of private companies which were offered to buy the power station concluded it would be too risky.[6]

A & B unit mothballing

On 25 June 2013, after spending $250 million on the planned recommissioning of units A and B, Premier Colin Barnett shelved the project.[10][11] Barnett told Parliament that no further work would be done on the generators for the time being, saying "The government has made a decision with respect to Muja A and B units; three and four continue to operate, units one and two are basically mothballed."[12]

However, the government pressed ahead in September claiming the cost of refurbishment can be recouped over the 15-year expected life of the plant even though it has ballooned to A$308 million.[11] In a report by KPMG, to continue the project would cost a further A$46 million, and return A$54 million in value over ten years, assuming the A$290 million spent was written off.[6] In the following months the work was completed quietly and as of 2014 the Muja A and B units are used intermittently, primarily during summer peak times.

In November 2014, part of the wall surrounding water cooling tower of Unit 7 collapsed.[13]

In September 2017, Synergy announced imminent closure of Muja A and B because the necessary repair of cooling towers deemed it commercially unviable.[14] The 2018/19 state budget presented by treasurer Ben Wyatt for Western Australia in May 2018 allocates $48.1 million to work at Muja Stages C and D. This work includes "$6 million on the refurbishment of the Stage C Turbine and replacement of associated components" and "$4.2 million on an upgrade to electrical switchboards for Stages C and D".[15]

On 5 August 2019, Synergy announced that Stage C of Muja Power Station will close by 2024. Stage C Unit 5 was turned off on Thursday 29th September 2022 and Stage C Unit 6 will be retired by 1 October 2024. The two units in Stage D will remain operational until 2029.[16][2]

References
  1. "Secret report puts Collie plant at 2025 shutdown". The West Australian. 1 February 2019. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  2. Mercer, Daniel (14 June 2022). "Synergy coal power stations including Muja to close as WA Government prioritises renewable energy". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  3. Mercer, Daniel (12 October 2020). "Renewable energy to replace coal in WA's biggest power grid as solar hollows market, report predicts". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. "Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA) Database v3.0". Center for Global Development. July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  5. "WA gas crisis poses threat to economy". The Australian. theaustralian.news.com.au. 12 June 2008. Archived from the original on 17 June 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2008.
  6. "Business blasts more spending on Muja". The West Australian. 15 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  7. "$150m Muja loan mystery". The West Australian. 30 June 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  8. "Man burnt in Muja blast | Collie Mail". 9 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  9. "Muja Power Station Explosion". The West. The West. June 2012. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  10. "Government suspends work on Muja power station". ABC. ABC. 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  11. "Government defends Muja power station cost blowout". ABC News. 10 April 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  12. "Call for inquiry into Muja Power Station Fiasco". ABC. ABC. 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  13. "Safety fears after WA cooling tower partially collapses". ABC News. 11 November 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  14. "WA power station to close despite $300m taxpayer help". The West Australian. 13 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  15. Ben Wyatt (10 May 2018). "Western Australia State Budget 2018-19 (Part 12)" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  16. "Synergy to retire Muja Power Station Unit C over five years". Synergy. 5 August 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
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