The Kareeya Hydro Power Station near Tully in Queensland, Australia in a hydroelectric power station that began generating power in 1957. It has a capacity of 88 megawatts (118,000 hp) which is fed into the National Electricity Market.[2] The power station is owned by CleanCo Queensland.
| Kareeya Hydro Power Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Far North Queensland |
| Coordinates | 17°46′4″S 145°34′40″E / 17.76778°S 145.57778°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1957 |
| Owner | CleanCo Queensland[1] |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Hydroelectric |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 4 |
| Nameplate capacity | 88 MW (118,000 hp) |
Taking its name from the Aboriginal word meaning 'big water', the Kareeya Hydro project originally comprised construction of Koombooloomba Dam, the Tully Falls Weir and Kareeya Hydro power station.[2] A dam was needed for water storage because most of the rain in the area falls in the first few months of the year.[3] An intake tower is located in the weir, which directs water down a tunnel to the turbines in an underground power station below Tully Falls.
Planning for the project began in 1949 and it was intended to be operating by 1955.[3] Construction of a diversion tunnel started in early 1952. The 132 Kv transmission line was the first ever constructed in Queensland and the state's first use of steel towers for electricity distribution.[3] The last of the four generating sets was installed by mid-1959.
The power station's staff and families were provided accommodation in a small village, named Cardstone, located downstream from the plant.[3]
Upgrade
editThe power station was upgraded between 2005 and 2008. This has effectively extended the life of the power station by 25 years and increased capacity, generation, efficiency and availability.[2]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "OUR SITES". CleanCo Queensland. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ a b c "Kareeya Hydro" (PDF). Our power stations: Hydro. Stanwell Corporation. March 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d Dunn, Col (1985). The History of Electricity in Queensland. Bundaberg: Col Dunn. pp. 98–103. ISBN 0-9589229-0-X.