{{short description|Engie power station near Adelaide, South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox power station |name =Pelican Point Power Station |image =Pelican Point power station.jpg |country =Australia |location =[[Pelican Point, Adelaide|Pelican Point]], [[South Australia]] | coordinates = {{coord|34|45|47|S|138|30|18|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=inline,title}} |owner = [[Engie]] |status = |th_fuel_primary = [[Natural gas]] | ps_combined_cycle = Yes |ps_cooling_source = Sea |th_technology = [[Gas turbine]] |ps_units_operational= Two gas and one steam turbine |ps_electrical_capacity= 479 MW |commissioned = 2001 | website={{url|http://www.gdfsuezau.com/about-us/asset/Pelican-Point-Power-Station}} }}

The '''Pelican Point Power Station''' is located at [[Pelican Point, Adelaide|Pelican Point]], 20&nbsp;km from the centre of [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]] on the [[Lefevre Peninsula]]. It is operated by [[Engie]] (previously known as GDF Suez Australian Energy), which owns 72 per cent of the power station. [[Mitsui]] owns the remaining 28 per cent. It burns [[natural gas]] in a [[combined cycle]] power station, comprising two 160 MW gas turbines and one 165 MW steam turbine, to generate up to 485 MW of [[electricity]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.mobilescienceeducation.com.au/pdf/Pelican%20Point%20Secondary.pdf|title = Industry Tour: Pelican Point Power Station|access-date = 25 December 2015|publisher = Mobile Science Education|archive-date = 2 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160302033131/http://www.mobilescienceeducation.com.au/pdf/Pelican%20Point%20Secondary.pdf|url-status = dead}}</ref>

Construction began in 1999. The plant has two GT13E2 gas turbines manufactured by ABB (now Alstom). The plant, including steam turbine and [[HRSG|heat recovery steam generator]] (HRSG), was manufactured and constructed by ABB.

Fuel is supplied via either the [[SEAGas pipeline]], which runs from the [[Iona Gas Plant]] in Victoria to the Pelican Point power station, or the [[Moomba Adelaide Pipeline System]] (MAPS), which supplies gas from [[Moomba, South Australia|Moomba]] to Adelaide.

==Environmental protests== In 1999, the proposed development of the Pelican Point Power Station led to widespread protests against its construction on environmental grounds, fearing [[Thermal pollution|hot water]] and chemical waste products from the station could harm local wildlife, in particular the dolphin and pelican populations of the [[Port River]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/thousands-rally-against-pelican-point-power-station|title=Thousands rally against Pelican Point power station|date=6 September 2016|website=Green Left Weekly|language=en|access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref> These protests included a unanimous resolution by the [[City of Port Adelaide Enfield]] council to seek a legal injunction against its construction, and the formation of 'Community Action for Pelican Point' (later Community Action for Port and Peninsula),<ref>{{Cite news|title=Action Saves Port River|date=3 May 2000|work=The Guardian}}</ref> an organisation that organised protest marches both in the local area and at [[Parliament House, Adelaide|Parliament House]], Adelaide, and a long term picket line to block the access road to the construction site. The protests and picket line led to multiple arrests, including that of the Mayor of the [[City of Port Adelaide Enfield]], Joanna McCluskey, for failure to comply with police requests to move. Notable participants in the protests included Ms McCluskey, local [[Kaurna]] representatives, as well as state and federal [[Australian Labor Party]], [[Australian Greens|Greens]], [[Australian Democrats]], and Independent MPs including [[Nick Xenophon|Nick Xenaphon]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/pelican-point-picket-wins-support|title=Pelican Point picket wins support|date=6 September 2016|website=Green Left Weekly|language=en|access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.roblucas.com.au/Speeches/ID/999/National-Electricity-MarketETSA-Privatisation|title=National Electricity Market/ETSA Privatisation > The Hon Rob Lucas MLC|website=www.roblucas.com.au|access-date=2 June 2019|archive-date=2 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602050918/http://www.roblucas.com.au/Speeches/ID/999/National-Electricity-MarketETSA-Privatisation|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Community engagement== Since 2002 International Power have allowed school and community groups to tour Pelican Point Power Station. The tours were originally designed and run by The Investigator Science and Technology Centre, and were taken over by [http://www.sciworld.org.au/ SciWorld] when the Investigator closed in 2006. Since January 2009 the tours have been operated by [http://www.mobilescienceeducation.com.au/ Mobile Science Education] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317062638/http://www.mobilescienceeducation.com.au/ |date=17 March 2012 }}.

==Reduced operation== Since March 2013 the power station has generally operated at half capacity due to over-capacity in the South Australian region of the [[National Electricity Market]]. Grid generation capacity was reduced in early 2016 when the [[Northern Power Station (South Australia)|Northern Power Station]] closed. Generation at Pelican Point was increased to full capacity at the request of the South Australian government for at least a week in July 2016, due to much of the state's wind generation being offline due to damaging high winds, and the [[Heywood interconnector]] being unavailable due to works associated with a planned increase in its capacity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/key-sa-employers-on-verge-of-shutting-down-as-power-prices-surge-during-storms/news-story/e397f45514f90115ad4da65a009feb44 |title=Key SA employers on verge of shutting down as power prices surged during storm |first=Daniel |last=Wills |newspaper=The Advertiser |date=13 July 2016 |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref> It returned to only operating one unit (half capacity) and the owner claimed that the [[National Electricity Market]] rules prohibited the second unit from responding to a request for electricity market responses on 8 February 2017.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://engie.com.au/media/newsitem.aspx?title=Pelican-Point |publisher=[[Engie]] |title=Pelican Point |date=9 February 2017 |access-date=9 February 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The result was that the extremely hot weather in Adelaide plus little wind to drive wind turbines led to the market operator requiring "load shedding" for 27 minutes during the evening electricity demand peak.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.aemo.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Statement-Update |publisher=[[Australian Energy Market Operator]] |title=Media Statement - South Australia Update |date=9 February 2017 |access-date=9 February 2017 |archive-date=11 February 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155238/https://www.aemo.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Statement-Update |url-status=dead }}</ref> The owner later clarified that it is not allowed to bid into the market if supply cannot be guaranteed, and it did not have a current gas supply contract for the second unit. It was able to respond promptly once directed to do so on 9 February during continuing high temperature weather.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Pelican Point second unit |date=10 February 2017 |publisher=[[Engie]] |url=http://engie.com.au/media/UploadedDocuments/News/Pelican%20Point%20Second%20Unit%20-%20Media%20statement.pdf |access-date=10 February 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170211081419/http://engie.com.au/media/UploadedDocuments/News/Pelican%20Point%20Second%20Unit%20-%20Media%20statement.pdf |archive-date=11 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Engie advised AEMO on 5 June 2017 that they were currently operating at half capacity (239 MW), but would make full capacity available to the market (479 MW) as of 1 July 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://engie.com.au/media/newsitem/Pelican-Point-to-return-to-full-capacity |title=ENGIE - News|website=engie.com.au|access-date=2018-01-22}}</ref>

A 200 megawatt (MW), 400 megawatt hour (MWh) [[Battery energy storage system|grid battery]] started construction in 2025, expected operational by 2027.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parkinson |first1=Giles |title=Construction starts on new big battery in place of gas unit in another major shift from baseload |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/construction-starts-on-new-big-battery-in-place-of-gas-unit-in-another-major-shift-from-baseload/ |website=Renew Economy |language=en-AU |date=25 November 2025}}</ref>

==See also== * [[International Power]] * [[List of power stations in South Australia]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.ipplc.com.au/the-company/assets/pelican-point-power-station/ Pelican Point Power Station] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109030942/http://www.ipplc.com.au/the-company/assets/pelican-point-power-station/ |date=9 January 2012 }}, International Power

{{EnergySA}}

[[Category:Natural gas-fired power stations in South Australia]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Adelaide]] [[Category:Lefevre Peninsula]] [[Category:Economy of Adelaide]]