Leading the state to a bright future:

In January 1995, Western Power Corporation was created to supply customers’ electricity demands while AlintaGas was formed to meet gas needs. Verve Energy owns four major power stations which are linked together by transmission lines. They form the South West Interconnected System (known as SWIS) which extends from Kalbarri in the north to Albany in the south and across to Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the east. Horizon Power operates 17 smaller power stations in regional and remote areas throughout Western Australia.

Above - Kwinana Power Station.

Google Earth - Kwinana Power Station

The four main power stations connected to the SWIS are Muja, Kwinana, Cockburn and Pinjar Power Stations.

Above - Muja Power Station

Google Earth - Muja Power Station

Collie Power Station is owned by Verve Energy but it is privately operated and maintained. This innovative, 330MW coal-fired power station was opened in Collie in 1999. Clean, low-ash coal is being supplied by Wesfarmers Premier Coal to three Verve Energy stations – the Kwinana, Muja (Stages C and D) and Collie Power Stations.

For more information about Wesfarmers Premier Coal, go to:
www.wesfarmers.com.au

The Western Australian Government has approved the construction of another coal-fired power station in Collie. The 200-megawatt Bluewaters Power Station will be built by privately owned Griffin Energy.

For more information about Griffin Energy, go to:
www.thegriffingroup.com.au

The power station will provide electricity to the Coolangatta industrial estate in Collie, as well as the South West Interconnected System. This will ensure a continuous and reliable power supply during the phasing out of the existing Muja A and B coal-fired power stations, which is expected by the end of 2007.

Although coal continues to be an economical power station fuel, Verve Energy’s power stations now predominantly rely on natural gas. The ability to use natural gas as a fuel has been made possible by the development of some of the world’s biggest natural gas reserves under the ocean bed off the North West Shelf.

Above - Cockburn One Power Station.

Google Earth - Cockburn One Power Station

Verve Energy’s newest power station, Cockburn One in Kwinana, is a combined cycle plant that uses both gas and steam. Commissioned in 2003, Cockburn One has a generating capacity of 240MW. A gas turbine generates 160MW of electricity while a steam turbine generates another 80MW of electricity. This provides enough electricity to power four million light globes (using an average light bulb of 60 watt capacity).

^ back to top ^