Operations begin at WA’s newest hybrid power facility

Commissioning has been completed and operations have begun at Westgold Resources’ (ASX:WGX) first of four new hybrid power facilities across its WA operations.

The new 17.9MW facility at Tuckabianna replaces the existing diesel fired power station and delivers a reduction of 15kt of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and 10Ml of annual diesel fuel consumption.

The Tuckabianna hybrid power facility incorporates a 6MW solar farm with 11,088 photovoltaic panels, a battery energy storage system with 2.4MW installed capacity and a 9.5MW gas-fuelled power station.

In addition to this facility, a further three are being constructed at Bluebird, Big Bell and Fortnum.

These facilities are central to Westgold’s clean energy transition initiative, with the gas-fired power stations, battery storage and solar farms owned and operated by Pacific Energy under an electricity purchase agreement.

The liquid natural gas is provided by Clean Energy Fuels Australia (CEFA) under an LNG supply agreement.

Westgold chair Cheryl Edwardes and managing director Wayne Bramwell joined staff, stakeholders, traditional owners and business partners on site to open the Tuckabianna hybrid power facility.

“Westgold continues to innovate to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and drive our operating costs down,” Mr Bramwell said.

“This new hybrid power facility at Tuckabianna incorporates renewable energy and is a great first step along this journey, with power generated from these facilities energising our mines and processing hubs for decades to come.

“The successful commissioning of Tuckabianna is a testament to the tireless work of Westgold’s project and operational teams, business partners at Pacific Energy and CEFA and construction crews who have delivered our first power station safely and on schedule.” 

With a combined capacity of 82MW, all four facilities are expected to be online and powering Westgold’s operations by Q3 FY24.

The facilities are expected to reduce Westgold’s annual diesel fuel consumption by 38Ml and lower annual carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by around 57,000t.