Queensland Government Issues MCU Approval for Energy Australia's Black Stone Power Project

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Australia (Perth, Australia)--Energy Australia Pty Limited's (New South Wales, Australia) 500-megawatt (MW) Blackstone power station in Australia reached a major milestone, following the state government's approval for the construction of a gas transmission pipeline as part of the power project.

In March 2013, the government of Queensland approved the company's material change of use (MCU) application, clearing the way for construction of the high-efficiency, gas-fired power plant. The approval includes the construction of 1.2 kilometres (km) of underground gas transmission pipeline, which will supply natural gas from the existing Roma-to-Brisbane pipeline from a connection point at Redbank. The total length of the gas transmission pipeline is 9 km (approximately 5.6 miles), of which the remaining 7.8 km fall outside the development area.

The approval also involves construction of 1.2 km of underground sewer main and road works that are associated with the project.

Energy Australia, previously known as TRU Energy Australia Pty Limited, proposed to construct a 1,500-megawatt (MW), open-cycle, high-efficiency gas power station to meet Queensland's electricity needs. Energy Australia will initially develop a 500-MW power plant and will expand it to 1,500 MW in second stage.

The Blackstone Power project will be built within Swanbank-New Chum Enterprise Park, adjacent to the Bundamba-to-Swanbank State Development Area (BSSDA), to meet the growing electricity demand in Queensland.

Blackstone is one of the two high-efficiency gas power stations that the company intends to build in Queensland. The Aldoga gas power station is also a 500-MW simple-cycle project, for which energy Australia is seeking approvals. The power plants will have a similar configuration and will involve installation of two 250-MW gas turbines to generate 500 MW of electricity.

A spokesperson for Energy Australia said: "We are taking the Blackstone project through as an option, with project approval an important milestone in this process. The construction timetable, however, will be dependent on when market signals confirm that a new power station in Queensland is needed. We continue to monitor this."

The gas pipeline project and power station will coincide with each other in terms of the construction timelines. Energy Australia is monitoring the market situations and will decide on the next milestone for the project.

Subject to the final investment decision, the company will chose an engineering, procurement and construction partner through a global tender process. Construction kick-off at this moment is expected to take place by 2015.

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