No threat to aircraft from next Tallawarra power plant upgrade

Concerns were raised by some Shellharbour city councillors last year that exhaust from the new Tallawarra B plant may produce a plume that could cause aircraft to stall when leaving the nearby airport at Albion Park.

The council's September meeting featured debate on whether plant operator EnergyAustralia should have to provide exhaust plume measurements in real time for aircraft safety.

But that was Tallawarra B. The latest upgrade concerns the Tallawarra A plant, which EnergyAustralia is seeking permission to upgrade.

Both plants burn gas for electricity and are seeking to be capable of taking up to 5 per cent hydrogen as well, to help stimulate a hydrogen industry in the region.

The next would increase Tallawarra A's capacity to 480 megawatts (from 440) by increasing its efficiency - and reducing emissions while doing so.

Less emissions means a smaller exhaust plume, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority said it will not cause aircraft safety problems - same as the A station's present plume.

"CASA notes advice from the proponent that the exhaust velocity and temperature of the emissions from the proposed upgrade are lower than that of emissions from the existing plant," CASA states in its advice to the NSW Major Projects planning process.

"Noting the current plume rise does not create a risk to the safety of aircraft operations, CASA advises that the proposal with the lower exhaust parameters is acceptable without any additional risk mitigation."

More information on hydrogen needed

EnergyAustralia's Environmental Impact Statement for the Tallawarra A upgrade says it would be able to "generate more electricity without using more gas", by using newer and more reliable components

The upgrade also seeks to make Tallawarra A hydrogen capable, but moving to include 5 per cent hydrogen would require another planning approval.

"By making Tallawarra A hydrogen capable, the upgrade increases the potential customer base for hydrogen in the Illawarra region, supporting the creation of a hydrogen industry," the EIS states.

The Environment Protection Authority has stated it has no objection to the upgrade, but the Department of Planning and Environment's Hazards Team says the EIS mentions potential hydrogen use, but contains no assessment of risks or methods of hydrogen handling and storage. It says this information needs to be clarified.

Tallawarra B firing up

Test firing was conducted on the new Tallawarra B plant in December, Energy Australia said, with commercial operation set to start in late February.

"We are very close to completion however the final phase of commissioning involves extensive testing and various approvals including by AEMO [Australian Energy Market Operator]," a spokesman said.

"The project is broadly on track, although we originally hoped Tallawarra B would be commissioned by the end of 2023. The small delay is primarily associated with the project's main contractor Clough collapsing in December 2022.

"The project team have worked hard through challenges presented by Clough's collapse to ensure the project remained largely on schedule.

"Tallawarra B will be commissioned as a gas-fired peaking power station as originally planned; however it remains our ambition to support the development of a hydrogen manufacturing industry in the Illawarra by creating demand at Tallawarra with both our A and B power stations being 'hydrogen capable'.

"EnergyAustralia has lodged a modification to the Tallawarra B planning approval to use 5 per cent hydrogen as part of the fuel mix and to install the necessary infrastructure to blend hydrogen with gas.

"EnergyAustralia and the NSW Government are currently assessing the feasibility of a 5% demonstration of hydrogen at Tallawarra by 2025 although this may change to align with the development of a hydrogen manufacturing industry of an appropriate size and scale."