Cethana Power Station

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

Cethana Dam
Entrance to Cethana Power Station
Cethana Dam Location of the Cethana Dam in Tasmania
Country	Australia
Location	North-western Tasmania
Coordinates	41°28′47″S 146°8′1″E
Purpose	Power
Status	Operational
Opening date	1971 (1971)
Owner	Hydro Tasmania
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Embankment dam
Impounds	Forth River
Height	113 metres (371 ft)
Length	213 metres (699 ft)
Dam volume	1,407 thousand cubic metres (49.7×10^6 cu ft)
Spillways	1
Spillway type	Uncontrolled
Spillway capacity	1,980 cubic metres per second (70,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Cethana
Total capacity	112,210 megalitres (3,963×10^6 cu ft)
Catchment area	610 square kilometres (240 sq mi)
Surface area	41.4 hectares (102 acres)
Cethana Power Station
Operator	Hydro Tasmania
Commission date	1971 (1971)
Type	Conventional
Hydraulic head	98 metres (322 ft)
Turbines	1 x 100 MW (130,000 hp) Fuji Francis turbine
Installed capacity	100 megawatts (130,000 hp)
Capacity factor	0.85
Annual generation	434 gigawatt-hours (1,560 TJ)
Website hydro.com.au/clean-energy/our-power-stations/mersey-forth
[1]

Technical details

Part of the Mersey–Forth 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

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

See also

• Australia portal
• Renewable energy portal
• Water portal

• List of power stations in Tasmania