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Energy · Asia Pacific

APA proposes Keralup gas hub as WA sets renewable target

APA proposed a gas-fired power station at Keralup, south of Perth, with capacity designed to grow from 200 megawatts in 2027 to as much as 520 megawatts. The WA government said it wants renewables to supply 75 per cent of the South West Interconnected System over the next five years, up from 40 per cent.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 2 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 2 outletsHow it's made

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2 outletsLatest reporting 3 min read
Coverage: Too few ratedL 0 · C 1 · R 0 · 1 unrated
Updat3 graphic: Australia
Updat3 graphic · Map data: Natural Earth Natural Earth (public domain)

What happened

Key facts

  • APA proposed the Keralup Energy Hub at Keralup, 53 kilometres south of Perth (per The Sydney Morning Herald).
  • The WA government said it wants renewables to supply 75 per cent of the South West Interconnected System over the next five years, up from 40 per cent (per The Sydney Morning Herald).
  • Premier Roger Cook set a 2030 target to close state-owned coal-fired power stations in Collie (per The Sydney Morning Herald).
  • The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive said the state government should address rising industrial power prices or adjust its 75 per cent renewable target (per The Sydney Morning Herald).
  • Construction Review’s headline says the Keralup Energy Hub has advanced into a review stage (per constructionreviewonline.com, The Sydney Morning Herald).

The brief

APA has proposed a gas-fired power station at Keralup, 53 kilometres south of Perth, with a planned capacity pathway from 200 megawatts in 2027 to as much as 520 megawatts.

The project, called the Keralup Energy Hub, is described in The Sydney Morning Herald’s account as an 870-megawatt station comprising two facilities: a temporary 210-megawatt plant for one client and a 660-megawatt facility intended to power a large grid-scale battery system.

APA said the project would initially run as an islanded power system while a longer-term connection to the grid is established. The proposal therefore includes an initial operating arrangement and a planned connection beyond it. Construction Review’s headline describes the Keralup Energy Hub as having advanced into a review stage, without detailing that stage.

According to APA documents cited by The Sydney Morning Herald, the station would burn about 150 terajoules of gas daily, equivalent to roughly 10 per cent of Western Australia’s current daily use. The proposed plant’s stated fuel consumption and capacity are part of a project that the account says is intended to support a large grid-scale battery system.

The WA government said it wants renewable energy to supply 75 per cent of the South West Interconnected System over the next five years, compared with 40 per cent currently. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that APA disclosed its plans on the same day the government declared the target.

The report presents the proposed gas project alongside the renewable goal, but does not say that the government has approved the station or that the proposal changes the target. Premier Roger Cook has set a 2030 target to close state-owned coal-fired power stations in Collie.

That goal is another part of the state’s stated energy plans, while the Keralup proposal sets out a possible gas-powered supply and battery arrangement. The account does not detail a decision on the project’s approval.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive said the state government should address rising industrial power prices and, if it cannot, adjust its 75 per cent renewable target. That statement links the industry body’s concern about industrial electricity costs to the government’s target; it does not specify a price figure or a proposed price measure.

The proposal, the government’s renewable goal and the industry body’s position are the documented elements of the debate over the state’s energy plans.

Why it matters

  • The proposal’s stated gas use—about 150 terajoules per day, or roughly 10 per cent of Western Australia’s current daily use—shows the scale of the fuel demand described in APA documents.
  • The WA government’s goal is to raise renewables’ share of the South West Interconnected System from 40 to 75 per cent over five years, while APA proposes a gas station designed to grow to as much as 520 megawatts.
  • The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive identifies industrial power prices as a concern and says the government should address them or adjust its renewable target.

What to watch next

  • Whether APA establishes the longer-term grid connection it says the project would need after initially operating as an islanded system.
  • Whether the Keralup Energy Hub advances through the review stage mentioned in Construction Review’s headline.
  • Whether the WA government pursues its stated goal of 75 per cent renewable supply to the South West Interconnected System over the next five years.
  • Whether the state government addresses industrial power prices, as urged by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
2 source articles · 2 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Too few rated· 1 Center · 1 unrated
Where the outlets are based: Asia 50% · Unknown 50%
Outlet political mix
Too few rated
Left
Center
Right
0 outlets
1 outlet
0 outlets
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once. 1 unrated outlet is not included.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
2 unique outletsDominant coverage: Asia
Limited coverage
  • Coverage is currently limited to 2 outlets.
How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. The National Electricity Market began operating; Western Australia's South West Interconnected System remained separate from it.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  2. Australia's Renewable Energy Target began, requiring electricity retailers to source a share of their power from renewable sources.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. In 2006, the state introduced its Domestic Gas Policy, requiring producers of liquefied natural gas projects to reserve 15 per cent of their production for the domestic market.
    Background · from our historical context
  4. The Wholesale Electricity Market began operating in 2006, alongside the introduction of a capacity mechanism intended to secure enough generation to meet demand.
    Background · from our historical context
  5. The Australian government expanded the Renewable Energy Target.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. The Western Australian government launched its Energy Transformation Strategy for the South West Interconnected System.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  7. By 2021, the state had adopted a Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap to guide how household solar, batteries and other small-scale resources could be integrated into the grid.
    Background · from our historical context
  8. In June 2022, it also committed to build large-scale battery storage in Collie, part of a plan to replace some of the services coal plants provided to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
    Background · from our historical context

How we got here

In May 2022, Western Australia’s government announced that its state-owned coal-fired power stations would close by 2030, placing the future of generation at Collie within a defined transition timetable.

In June 2022, it also committed to build large-scale battery storage in Collie, part of a plan to replace some of the services coal plants provided to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). The SWIS is the main electricity network serving Perth and much of WA’s south-west.

Original sources

2 articles from 2 outlets

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