Media Release

22 Nov 2007

Shortlist announced for desalination renewable energy providers

Six energy companies have been shortlisted to tender for the renewable energy contract to power Sydney’s desalination plant.

The desalination plant will be fully powered by wind.

All six shortlisted proposals are offering new and/or existing wind farms as the source of renewable energy.

Interest from the market was very strong with a total of 13 proponents responding.

Operating the desalination plant will not add a single gram of CO2 to the atmosphere.

Sydney Water will purchase 100 per cent accredited, clean, green energy from the market to run the plant.

The Board of Sydney Water has now shortlisted six proponents for the project and they will be invited to prepare tenders for the project.

The shortlisted proponents are:

• Renewable Power Ventures (Babcock & Brown Australia Infrastructure, National Power & Carbon Solutions)
  
• Epuron (owned by Conergy)
  
• International Power
  
• Origin Energy
  
• Pacific Hydro
  
• Roaring 40s (owned by China Light & Power & Tasmania Hydro)

The companies were chosen because they demonstrated their capability to deliver renewable energy to this large project.

Some of the proposals are for wind farms located in New South Wales. Others are interstate, though their wind generation plants are connected to the east coast power grid.

Sydney Water expects to award the contract for renewable energy to power the desalination plant, in March 2008.

 

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