The Australian state of Queensland is to build two new gas-fired power stations. The first plant, at Ipswich, west of Brisbane, would be built near the existing Swanbank coal-fired station which is due to close in 2012. The Gladstone plant, in central Queensland, would be situated on industrial land. Each of the plants would each generate 500 MW from 2014, but that figure could expand to 1500 MW.
TRUenergy is to undertake the USD 3.6 billion investments that would create 1000 new jobs in construction from 2013 and increase the state’s electricity generation by 20 per cent. A primary aim is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions – 50% in this case, compared to a coal-fired station.
The stations are to be located where the state forecasts its highest industrial and population growth to be, particularly at Gladstone, the centre of the states new LNG export industry.
.
