Cethana Power Station

Summary

The Cethana Power Station is a conventional hydroelectric power station located in north-western Tasmania, Australia.

Cethana Dam
Entrance to Cethana Power Station
Cethana Power Station is located in Tasmania
Cethana Power Station
Location of the Cethana Dam in Tasmania
CountryAustralia
LocationNorth-western Tasmania
Coordinates41°28′47″S 146°8′1″E / 41.47972°S 146.13361°E / -41.47972; 146.13361
PurposePower
StatusOperational
Opening date1971 (1971)
Owner(s)Hydro Tasmania
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment dam
ImpoundsForth River
Height113 metres (371 ft)
Length213 metres (699 ft)
Dam volume1,407 thousand cubic metres (49.7×10^6 cu ft)
Spillways1
Spillway typeUncontrolled
Spillway capacity1,980 cubic metres per second (70,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
CreatesLake Cethana
Total capacity112,210 megalitres (3,963×10^6 cu ft)
Catchment area610 square kilometres (240 sq mi)
Surface area41.4 hectares (102 acres)
Cethana Power Station
Operator(s)Hydro Tasmania
Commission date1971 (1971)
TypeConventional
Hydraulic head98 metres (322 ft)
Turbines1 x 100 MW (130,000 hp)
Fuji Francis turbine
Installed capacity100 megawatts (130,000 hp)
Capacity factor0.85
Annual generation434 gigawatt-hours (1,560 TJ)
Website
hydro.com.au/clean-energy/our-power-stations/mersey-forth
[1]

Technical details edit

Part of the MerseyForth scheme that comprises seven hydroelectric power stations, the Cethana Power Station is the fifth station in the scheme. The power station is located underground and is supplied with water from Lake Cethana, the Wilmot Power Station located below Lake Gairdner, and uncontrolled flow from the Forth River. Water from the station is returned to the Forth River through a tailrace tunnel which has a tailrace gate structure at the outlet portal.[2]

The power station was commissioned in 1971 by the Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS) and the station has one Fuji Francis turbine, with a generating capacity of 100 megawatts (130,000 hp) of electricity. The station output, estimated to be 434 gigawatt-hours (1,560 TJ) annually,[1] is fed to the outdoor switchyard via a three single-phase 13.8 kV/220 kV Fuji generator transformer.[3]

Engineering heritage edit

Cethana Dam is listed as a National Engineering Landmark by Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.[4]


See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Register of Large Dams in Australia". Dams information. Australian National Committee on Large Dams. 2010. Archived from the original (Excel (requires download)) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Mersey - Forth". Energy. Hydro Tasmania. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Cethana Power Station: Technical fact sheet" (PDF). Mersey-Forth Catchment. Hydro Tasmania. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Cethana Dam, Forth River, 1971-". Engineers Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2020.