WA: Gas power for northern WA but tidal power still a chance

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2000
WA: Gas power for northern WA but tidal power still a chance

By Selina Day

PERTH, Dec 21 AAP - It would be an innovative if not extremely ambitious project -
harnessing the power of massive tidal movements to create energy for a remote part of
Western Australia.

Proponents of the so-called tidal power project swore by the scheme.

The federal government expressed interest as a way of reducing growth in greenhouse
emissions, and the WA Labor opposition is committed to developing it.

But the WA government, favouring gas-fired power, this week narrowed the likelihood
of communities in the wider West Kimberley having access to tidal power.

Debate has raged about the merits of gas versus tidal power for years.

Power generation equipment is becoming increasingly unreliable and is casting doubt
over the sustainability of supply.

The tourist town of Broome, for instance, has been projected to run out of power as
early as 2003.

WA Energy Minister Colin Barnett has recently made it clear the government - following
exhaustive tender processes and independent investigations - would likely endorse a $100
million gas project for the region.

But tidal advocates pushed on, hopeful their $335 million, 48-megawatt scheme, proposed
for King Sound at Derby, might get a look in.

And it did - kind of.

This week, the coalition government - facing an election which may go to the wire -
doled out a compromise solution.

Broome and three other Kimberley towns would get a gas-fired plant, while Derby could
have a tidal project.

But it would be a half-price smaller model, of up to 10 megawatts, and a scheme which
would have to be heavily taxpayer subsidised.

The gas project - to be operated by a consortium of Energy Equity Corporation (EEC)
and Woodside Energy Limited - now looks certain to be operational by 2003.

Despite Mr Barnett finally giving some measure of certainty to the West Kimberley by
firming up the gas option, the spotlight not surprisingly fell on the pilot tidal proposal.

The local proponent of tidal power, Tidal Energy Australia (TEA), which is backed by
the construction giant Leighton Contractors, said cabinet's decision had effectively ruled
out tidal power.

TEA managing director Peter Wood said that was because such a scheme would still cost
money to build but most of the customers would go to gas, making any tidal project unfeasible.

"In effect, they've creamed off the base load for the gas operator and this leaves
an ineffective base for tidal customers," Mr Wood said.

"A 10 megawatt station in unviable, whereas both state and commonwealth assessments
confirmed that a 50MW station gives long-term advantage over fossil-fuel generation.

"We're disappointed in the political process of WA where recognition and acceptance
of the need for sustainability has not matured."

Despite Mr Wood's protestations, the tidal project at Derby is not off the drawing
board completely.

Mr Barnett said he expected national and international interests to bid for the 10MW project.

Meanwhile, the WA opposition is incensed at the government's announcement and has warned
Premier Richard Court not to allow state-owned power supplier Western Power to sign a
contract with the EEC-Woodside gas consortium on the eve of an election.

Opposition leader Geoff Gallop said if the government did so, Labor would use "every
legal means at its disposal" to get out of any contract should it gain office.

A state election is to be held early in the new year, although no date has been announced.

A tidal scheme would likely harness the massive and powerful movements of vast volumes
of water in two huge basins at King Sound at Derby.

Doctors Creek East and West each measure about 15-17km long, 500 metres wide and eight
metres deep.

According to TEA, an average of 500 tonnes of water falling an average five metres
every second could generate power for 12 hours in 24.

AAP sd/pc/bwl

KEYWORD: NEWSCOPE WA

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