The 120 megawatt gas turbine is one of three to be synchronised as part of the commissioning phase, which will extend over coming months.
The synchronisation follows completion of the 205 kilometre Wallumbilla to Darling Downs Pipeline linking the power station to coal seam gas fields in the Surat Basin.
Origin Executive General Manager Major Development Projects Andrew Stock said that the plant will emit less than half of the greenhouse gas and use less than three per cent of the water used by a typical water-cooled coal-fired power station.
“The gas turbines will be fired up one at a time during the coming weeks before the steam turbine comes online early next year, with the power station on schedule to be fully commissioned in the June quarter of 2010,”? Mr Stock said.
Once commissioned, the Darling Downs Power Station will be Australia’s largest combined-cycle power station.
Origin has also purchased a 77 hectare block adjacent to the current power station for possible future expansion.