Torrens Island Power Station

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox power station | name = Torrens Island Power Station | image = Torrens Island Power station from the river - portrait.jpg | country = Australia | location = Torrens Island, [[South Australia]] | coordinates = {{coord|34|48|24|S|138|31|24|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=inline,title}} | owner = [[AGL Energy]] | status = O | th_fuel_primary = [[Natural gas]] | ps_cooling_source = [[Port River|Port Adelaide River]] | th_technology = [[Steam turbine]] | ps_units_operational = 3 × [[C. A. Parsons and Company|C A Parsons]] | ps_electrical_capacity = 600 | commissioned = 1967 }}

'''Torrens Island Power Station''' is located on [[Torrens Island, South Australia|Torrens Island]], near [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]] and is operated by [[AGL Energy]]. It burns [[natural gas]] in eight [[steam turbines]] to generate up to 1,280{{nbsp}}[[Megawatts|MW]] of [[electricity]]. The gas is supplied via the [[SEAGas pipeline]] from [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], and the [[Moomba Adelaide Pipeline System]] (MAPS) from [[Moomba, South Australia|Moomba]] in the [[Cooper Basin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clpgroup.com/NR/exeres/B7168EBB-F6E7-410C-9256-85FDA00CB7DF%2C31E0AC1A-BD84-490A-AC6D-BE1630AB9367%2Cframeless.htm?ch=%5FAsia%5FAu%5FTRUenergyTorrensIsland%5F&lang=en | title=TRU Torrens Island | accessdate=2006-12-30|publisher=[[CLP Group]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061021230756/http://www.clpgroup.com/NR/exeres/B7168EBB-F6E7-410C-9256-85FDA00CB7DF,31E0AC1A-BD84-490A-AC6D-BE1630AB9367,frameless.htm?ch=_Asia_Au_TRUenergyTorrensIsland_&lang=en  |archivedate = 2006-10-21}}</ref> The station is capable of burning either natural gas or fuel oil.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gjc.com.au/GJC_files/txu2001.html | title=Torrens Island, South Australia | publisher=GJC Engineers | accessdate=2008-01-08 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070830200429/http://gjc.com.au/GJC_files/txu2001.html  |archivedate = 2007-08-30}}</ref> It is the largest power station in South Australia and was formerly the largest single power station user of natural gas in Australia.

==Construction== Construction began in 1963 following passing of a government act vesting the land and authorising construction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_act/etosaipsa1962740/|title =Electricity Trust of South Australia (Torrens Island Power Station) Act 1962 | accessdate=2006-12-30 | publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute}}</ref> The 480{{nbsp}}MW (4 x 120{{nbsp}}MW) A Station was completed in 1967, and construction of the 800{{nbsp}}MW (4 x 200{{nbsp}}MW) B Station was completed in 1982.

==Gradual shutdown== In December 2014 AGL announced that it intended mothballing the four older units of the A Station indefinitely, having taken them out of service between July and September 2014.<ref name="mothball">{{Cite web|title = AGL - AGL to mothball South Australian generating units|url = https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/media-centre/article-list/2014/december/agl-to-mothball-south-australian-generating-units |website = www.agl.com.au|accessdate = 2015-12-27}}</ref> This decision was primarily driven by increasing levels of wind and solar generation in the South Australian region of the [[National Electricity Market]] displacing fossil fuel generation, particularly higher cost gas-fired generation. AGL reviewed this decision and deferred the planned mothballing in June 2016, following the closure of [[Alinta]]'s [[Northern Power Station (South Australia)|Northern]] and [[Playford B Power Station|Playford B]] [[coal-fired power station]]s at [[Port Augusta, South Australia|Port Augusta]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/media-centre/article-list/2016/june/agl-to-defer-mothballing-of-south-australian-generating-units |title=AGL to defer mothballing of South Australian generating units |date=6 June 2016 |publisher=AGL |access-date=17 June 2016}}</ref>

However, due to the state-wide power outage in September 2016, the system operator [[AEMO]] demanded that the Torrens Island power station to be brought back online to prevent another statewide power outage.

AGL announced on 7 June 2017 that it intended to permanently mothball two of the turbines in the 50-year-old Torrens A power station, after building a new 210{{nbsp}}MW power station containing twelve gas reciprocating engines to be known as [[Barker Inlet Power Station]] adjacent to the Torrens Island site.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://indaily.com.au/news/2017/06/07/agl-to-build-rapid-response-power-station-in-adelaide/ |title=AGL to build "rapid response" power station in Adelaide |first=David |last=Washington |newspaper=InDaily |date=7 June 2017 |accessdate=7 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/media-centre/asx-and-media-releases/2017/june/agl-announces-development-of-$295m-power-station-in-sa |work=ASX & Media Release |title=AGL announces development of $295 million power station in South Australia |publisher=AGL |date=7 June 2017 |accessdate=22 October 2017}}</ref> The first two units (2 and 4) would be mothballed from 1 July 2019, with the remaining two units (1 and 3) planned to be mothballed after winter 2020 and winter 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aemo.com.au/Electricity/National-Electricity-Market-NEM/Planning-and-forecasting/Generation-information |date=2 November 2018 |accessdate=13 November 2018 |title=Generation information page |publisher=[[Australian Energy Market Operator]]}}</ref> AGL announced a delay in the closure schedule in July 2019, with Units 2 and 4 rescheduled to close in September 2020, and Units 1 and 3 to close in September 2021 and September 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-08-05 |title=AGL confirms schedule to close power plants|url=https://utilitymagazine.com.au/agl-confirms-schedule-to-close-power-plants-in-nsw-and-sa/ |access-date=2021-04-03|website=Utility Magazine}}</ref> On 7 July 2021, AGL announced plans to also mothball unit B1 in October 2021. It will be able to be recalled on 6 months lead time. At the same time, AGL announced construction of a 250{{nbsp}}MWh [[Battery energy storage system |grid battery]] on the Torrens Island site,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/media-centre/asx-and-media-releases/2021/july/agl-to-mothball-one-unit-at-torrens-b-in-south-australia |title=AGL to mothball one unit at Torrens B in South Australia |date=7 July 2021 |publisher=[[AGL Energy]] |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref> operating in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Big battery told not to charge as rooftop solar repeatedly pushes grid demand below zero |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/big-battery-told-not-to-charge-as-rooftop-solar-repeatedly-pushes-grid-demand-below-zero/ |website=Renew Economy |language=en-AU |date=19 November 2025}}</ref> On 24 November 2022, AGL announced that it would bring forward full closure, and Torrens Island B would be retired on 30 June 2026,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/media-centre/asx-and-media-releases/2022/november/torrens-island-b-power-station-to-close-in-2026 |title=Torrens Island 'B' Power Station to close in 2026 |date=24 November 2022 |access-date=24 November 2022 |publisher=AGL Energy}}</ref> extended in 2025 to 2028.<ref>{{cite web |title=South Australia and AGL reach funding deal on Torrens Island gas extension due to transmission delays |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/south-australia-and-agl-reach-funding-deal-on-torrens-island-gas-extension-due-to-transmission-delays/ |website=Renew Economy |language=en-AU |date=1 October 2025}}</ref>

== See also == * [[AGL Energy]] * [[List of power stations in South Australia]]

==References== {{Commons category|Torrens Island Power Station}} {{reflist}}

[[Category:Natural gas-fired power stations in South Australia]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Adelaide]] [[Category:History of Port Adelaide]] [[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1967]]