AGL will today begin building the $295 million Barker Inlet Power Station in South Australia, expected to employ about 200 people during construction.

AGL CEO, Andy Vesey, will break the ground to launch the project at a ceremony at the site at midday today.

Mr Vesey said the plant will provide increased reliability and security for the people of South Australia and will be operational in the second half of 2019.

“We’re investing $295 million in constructing a 210MW gas plant using reciprocating engines, which will deliver more reliable, dispatchable power to the National Electricity Market,” he said. 

“This high efficiency, flexible plant will be in place before other capacity is retired so we can deliver an orderly energy transition.”

A new artist’s impression of how the completed plant will look can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/noshqrhOtR

The new power station will replace two of the four Torrens A turbines which AGL will progressively mothball from 1 July 2019. The four Torrens B turbines will continue to operate as normal.

Mr Vesey said: “The Barker Inlet Power Station units will be able to ramp from zero to full capacity in five minutes, and are 28 percent more efficient than the Torrens A Station units they will replace. 

“This will deliver gas savings of the same order, reducing costs and lowering emissions.

“As we move towards the staged mothballing of the first two units of Torrens A, we are delivering new investment in modern, fit-for-purpose generation which will supplement and replace the plant coming to the end of its useful life.”

Today’s ceremony also marks the 50th anniversary of the completion of Torrens Island Power Station. 

 Archival footage from newsreels of that launch can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/TdbbQogWTt

Launch Event
TIME: 12pm, Monday 5 February.
LOCATION: AGL Torrens Island Power Station, Grand Trunkway, Torrens Island.


About AGL
AGL is committed to helping shape a sustainable energy future for Australia. We operate the country’s largest electricity generation portfolio, we’re its largest ASX-listed investor in renewable energy, and we have more than 3.6 million customer accounts. Proudly Australian, with more than 180 years of
experience, we have a responsibility to provide sustainable, secure and affordable energy for our customers. Our aim is to prosper in a carbon-constrained world and build customer advocacy as our industry transforms. That’s why we have committed to exiting our coal-fired generation by 2050 and why we will continue to develop innovative solutions for our customers.