The 1.6MW mini power station will be constructed at SunWater's Tinaroo Falls dam near Atherton, and will provide enough electricity to meet the needs of about 100 households a year. Power generated by the hydro plant will be sold to a local electric utility for distribution through its 22 kV network.
'This project complies with Australian federal and state government legislation, which encourages investments in development that reduce greenhouse gases by setting targets for generation of electricity from renewable sources,' said SunWater chief executive Peter Noonan.
Noonan said that although the Tinaroo project is a relatively small venture, it marks an emerging participation by his organisation in the power generation market.
The turbine for the Tinaroo power station will be manufactured at ge-hydro's Norway facility. The plant is scheduled to start up towards the end of 2003.
