EnergyAustralia Modernizes Tallawarra A Power Plant to Support Energy Transition in Australia

GE announced a new order for its first High-Efficiency (HE) upgrade for the GT26 fleet to be selected in Australia.

In 2024, GE will modernize EnergyAustralia's Tallawarra A power plant, powered by a GT26 gas turbine installed nearly thirteen years ago, with the HE upgrade, a proven solution that was first introduced for the GT26 gas turbine in 2019.

This solution aims to provide the Tallawarra A power plant, located in Yallah on the western shore of Lake Illawarra in the state of New South Wales (NSW), with a leap forward in efficiency and output, supporting the expected energy demand following the closure of the coal fired 1,680-megawatt Liddell plant in the Hunter Valley region.

NSW requires fast-start gas-fired generation to support renewables growth as coal plants phase out of operations.

Before the Tallawarra gas-fired power station commenced operations in January 2009, the site was a 320MW coal-fired power station which operated between 1954 and 1989. 

Now, it is a combined cycle station with fast-start capability, which produces less carbon emissions than conventional coal-fired power stations. The gas-fired power station's generation capacity is 440 MW – which is the equivalent power to supply up to 200,000 Australian homes. 

"We recognize the value of constantly evolving technology. With this innovative upgrade, Tallawarra A will benefit from improved efficiency and reduce carbon emitted per MWh, in line with our goals to accelerate the clean energy transition" said Michael Heazlewood EnergyAustralia project leader for the HE Upgrade.

"We are proud to be building on the strength of our long-standing relationship with EnergyAustralia, to improve and modernize assets to support the energy transition in the country," said Ramesh Singaram, President and CEO of GE Gas Power in Asia. "The upgrade, GE's first order for the HE in Australia, will help produce more power, while reducing CO2 emissions per MW. We are excited by the expected additional efficiency and dispatchable power that this solution will provide to support the growth of intermittent renewables in the country."