The 30 MW power station, located approximately 4 km from the town of Casino, will deliver gas fired electricity to the north coast region of New South Wales.
The power station will consume approximately 2.3 PJ/a of gas supplied by the Casino gas project, which will include the Kingfisher conventional gas field and coal seam gas (CSG).
Metgasco said that it has gas reserves of 397 PJ in the proved and probable category in PEL 16, which would be sufficient to supply the power station for over 150 years. The company said that it has acquired the land for the project, and received approval for the required subdivision from the Richmond Valley Council.
Metgasco Managing Director David Johnson said “The Richmond Valley Power Station will allow Metgasco to generate our first gas sales, and is a critical first step in moving from being an explorer to producer.”?
Metgasco said that the final investment decision on this project remains subject to satisfactory progress on commercial negotiations and board approval.
Metgasco and BP are currently conducting feasibility studies into the extension of a planned 145 km high pressure Casino to Ipswich gas pipeline, to BP’s refinery facilities at the Port of Brisbane.
In addition, the NSW Department of Planning has also approved the expansion of the Delta Electricity gas fired power station at Bamarang, near Nowra.
NSW Infrastructure Projects Director Scott Jeffries approved Delta Electricity’s request to increase the operational capacity of the stage two combined cycle base load power station from approximately 400 MW to approximately 450 MW.