Coral Bay Power Project

Energy Minister Francis Logan officially announced the normalisation of power supplies in Coral Bay on Sunday 19 August.

The $14 million project has seen Horizon Power assume responsibility for power supplies in Coral Bay. Previously, three privately owned and operated electricity generators serviced the area via a limited distribution network.

The power station consists of seven 320kW low-load diesel engines, with a total capacity of 2,240kW.

Three 275kW wind turbines have also been installed at the wind farm, which is enough to generate up to 45 per cent of Coral Bay’s annual electricity requirements. This is expected to save 440,000 litres of diesel each year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,160 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

The turbines can be lowered and raised as required in extreme weather conditions.

Horizon Power has also constructed a new 22,000-volt underground power network for the distribution of the electricity in Coral Bay, using nine kilometres of cable.

Street lighting had been replaced with modern high-pressure sodium lights.

Residents and businesses in Coral Bay will receive electricity at Government-gazetted prices.

The Coral Bay power project was supported by the Australian Government through the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program. This program was funded from diesel excise paid in WA and was administered in WA by the State Government’s Sustainable Energy Development Office.