{{Short description|Former power station in Tasmania}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox power station |name = Bell Bay Power Station |image = BellBayPowerStation.jpg |country = Australia |location = [[Bell Bay, Tasmania]] |coordinates = {{coord|41|8|31|S|146|54|9|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=inline,title}} |owner = [[Hydro Tasmania]] |status = [[Peak demand]] |th_fuel_primary = [[Natural gas]] |th_technology = 2 [[steam turbines]] |ps_combined_cycle = |ps_units_operational = 0 |ps_electrical_capacity = {{convert|345|MW}} |commissioned = 1971 |decommissioned = 2009}}
The '''Bell Bay Power Station''' was a [[power station]] located in [[Bell Bay, Tasmania|Bell Bay]], on the [[Tamar River, Tasmania]], Australia, adjacent to the [[Tamar Valley Power Station]], with which it was often confused. It was commissioned between 1971 and 1974 as an oil fired [[thermal power station]], and was converted to [[natural gas]] in 2003,<ref name=hydro>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hydro.com.au/energy/our-power-stations/gas-generation|title=Gas generation|website=[[Hydro Tasmania]]|access-date=2016-03-11}}</ref> after the commissioning of the [[Tasmanian Gas Pipeline]], a submarine [[gas pipeline]] which transports natural gas from [[Longford, Victoria]], under [[Bass Strait]], to Bell Bay, Tasmania.<ref name=tgp>[https://www.tasmaniangaspipeline.com.au/ Home] Tasmanian Gas Pipeline</ref> As the power station's primary role was to provide system security in the event of drought for Tasmania's predominantly hydro-electric based generation system it only was rarely called on to operate, resulting in intervals of five to eight years between periods of significant use. After the commissioning of [[Basslink]] in 2006, the power station was decommissioned in 2009.
At the time of decommissioning, it had two {{convert|120|MW}} [[Natural gas|gas]] fired [[steam turbines]] and three {{convert|35|MW}} [[gas turbines]], giving a total capacity of {{convert|345|MW}} of [[electricity]]. After the Bell Bay Power Station was decommissioned, the three smaller units became part of the Tamar Valley Power Station.
==History== In response to a prolonged dry period in Tasmania in 1967 and 1968, the [[Hydro Tasmania|Hydro Electric Commission]] sought to diversify Tasmania's electricity supply away from [[hydroelectricity]].<ref name=hydro/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/releases/ministerial_statement_on_energy_security|title=Ministerial Statement on Energy Security|website=www.premier.tas.gov.au|access-date=2016-03-11}}</ref> This resulted in the first unit of the Bell Bay Power Station being commissioned in 1971: a single {{convert|120|MW}} oil-fired [[Babcock & Wilcox]], single drum, reheat boiler, supplying steam to a [[CA Parsons & Company]] steam turbine with hydrogen cooled generator (unit one).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220821083524/https://engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-06/eha-magazine-v1-6.pdf The Hydro after 100 Years] ''[[EHA Magazine]]'' March 2015 page 19</ref> In 1974, a second near identical unit followed (unit two). Cooling water was via a once-through cooling system, drawing water directly from the [[Tamar River, Tasmania|Tamar River]]. Three {{convert|15,000|tonne}} capacity fuel oil tanks supplied the {{convert|600|tonne}} of fuel oil per day required to run each of the steam sets. Fuel oil was delivered by tank ship and discharged across a dedicated oil jetty at the site. The {{convert|110|m|adj=on}} tall stack is a distinctive feature in the area.
The [[Tasmanian Gas Pipeline]], a submarine [[gas pipeline]] which transports natural gas from the [[ExxonMobil Australia|Esso]] [[Natural gas processing|natural gas plant]] at [[Longford, Victoria]], under [[Bass Strait]], to Bell Bay, Tasmania, was commissioned in 2002.<ref name=tgp/> In 2003, unit one was converted from fuel oil to [[natural gas]],<ref name=hydro/> and Unit two was converted in 2004.
In 2006, three [[Pratt & Whitney]] FT8 Twin Pac [[Open cycle gas turbines|open cycle gas turbine]] units were acquired from an existing facility in the US. These open cycle units were installed at a site adjacent to the original Bell Bay Power Station.
The [[Basslink]] electricity interconnector, which linked the electricity grids of mainland Australia and Tasmania from April 2006, secured Tasmania from reliance on hydro-electric based generation in the event of drought.
In September 2025, the power station's control room was demolished with explosives, followed by the boiler house the following month. The smokestack was left standing awaiting demolition at a later date. On 12 January 2026 the smokestack would be demolished using 41 kilograms worth of explosives.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-12/bell-bay-power-station-tower-explosives-demolition/106221046| title=Explosives used to demolish Bell Bay power station smokestack| publisher= [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]| date=12 January 2026}}</ref>
==Ownership== Bell Bay Power Station was owned by [[Hydro Tasmania]].
In March 2007, [[Alinta]] agreed to buy the peaking plant site from Hydro Tasmania for $75 million, which included gas pipeline capacity agreements. This would complement its proposed 200 MW combined cycle Tamar Valley Power Station, which was due for completion in early 2009, and which was to be located somewhere in the Bell Bay precinct.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/alinta-buys-tasmanian-plant/2007/03/23/1174597886010.html| title=Alinta buys Tasmanian plant| publisher=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]| date=24 March 2007}}</ref>
[[Aurora Energy (Tasmania)|Aurora Energy]] acquired the ex Alinta Energy combined cycle power station project and the peaking plant from [[Babcock & Brown]] Power in September 2008.<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-11-04/tas-network-not-in-powerco-sell-off/192950 Tas network not in Powerco sell off] ''[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]'' 4 November 2008</ref> The Tasmanian Government included a possible transfer of the existing Bell Bay Power Station to Aurora Energy as part of the acquisition. The transfer of the existing two thermal units did not proceed. Hydro Tasmania remained the owner and the station is currently available for sale whole or as parts.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.hydro.com.au/about-us/bell-bay-sale| title=Power plant for sale - whole or part of plant| publisher=Hydro Tasmania| access-date=2014-02-12| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222160802/http://www.hydro.com.au/about-us/bell-bay-sale| archive-date=2014-02-22| url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060815020329/http://www.hydro.com.au/home/Energy/Tasmanian+Hydro+Electric+Schemes/Catchment+Areas/Bell+Bay+Power+Station/ Bell Bay] [[Hydro Tasmania]]
{{EnergyTasmania|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1971]] [[Category:Natural gas-fired power stations in Tasmania]] [[Category:Tamar River]] [[Category:1971 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:2009 disestablishments in Australia]]