Pyrmont Power Station was an electricity generating plant located in the Sydney suburb of Pyrmont, New South Wales.
Sydney Electric Lighting Station
The power station was built by the Electric Lighting Department of the Municipal Council of Sydney, and began operations in 1904 as the Sydney Electric Lighting Station. The original equipment included three Ferranti cross compound reciprocating steam engines, one of 500 horsepower (hp) and two of 1,000 hp, each of which drove a three-phase alternator from Dick, Kerr & Co. for a total output of approximately 1,500 kilovolt-amperes (kVA). In 1905, two additional triple expansion 1,000 hp engines coupled to Dick Kerr 600 kW alternators were commissioned, increasing total capacity to approximately 2,700 KW. Steam was supplied by 5 Babcock & Wilcox WIF chain grate boilers, each 10,000 lb/hr at 160 psi. The five reciprocating engines were relegated to emergency use from 1911 and retired in 1916.
Turbo-alternators
Low Pressure Plant:-
Two Willans & Robinson - Dick, Kerr turbo-alternators were commissioned in 1907,(Nos 6+7) each with a capacity of 2 MW. Steam was supplied by 4 Stirling boilers whose smoke exhausted to the original chimney. This plant remained in service until 1920, when the two turbo-generators were relocated at Ultimo PS as No3+4 and the four boilers were demolished to make room for the high-pressure plant. In 1909 No 2 engine house was built to the southern side of the original engine house and provided room for more turbines. 2 Willans & Robinson 4 MW reaction turbines were added in 1910(Nos8+9). Another Willans & Robinson 4 MW reaction turbo-alternator was added in 1912(No10). 1 AEG 5 MW impulse turbine was added in 1914(No11). This turbo alternator had a short life and was replaced. Steam was supplied by 6 Babcock & Wilcox coal-fired watertube boilers; each produced 24,000 lb per hour(1908) and in 1913 another 6 boilers each producing 27,000 lb/Hr at 160 psi in Boiler House No2. These boilers were natural draft and exhausted into two large chimneys. The resultant lack of efficient combustion meant that the pollution(black smoke) from the stations' three chimneys was very bad. Total station capacity was increased to 14.7 MW including the reciprocating engines. In 1915 two Babcock+Wilcox cross drum forced draft boilers each with an output of 40,000 lb/hr and a 5 MW AEG generator(No11) were added. The low pressure plant remained in service until 1937 when other power stations (Bunnerong) came on line.
High Pressure Plant:-
In 1919, engine house No 1 was stripped of the reciprocating plant to allow the installation of larger turbines. One Metro-Vickers 8 MW generator was added in 1921,(No15). Two Metro-Vickers 12 MW generators were added in 1922,(Nos 13+14). One Fraser+Chalmers 12 MW generator(No17) and 1 Thompson 17.5 MW machine,(No16) were added in 1924. Steam was supplied by 8 Babcock + Wilcox, balanced draft, cross drum boilers each producing 65,000 lb/hr at 250 psi and 630 °F in Boiler House No3, to the north of the original building. 'A' Station capacity had increased to 75 MW by 1924 (excluding the decommissioned reciprocating engine-driven plant).
The 1904-1924 installation became known as Pyrmont 'A' Station as the site was expanded. This plant was retired in 1956 when Pyrmont "B" was put into commercial production.
Direct current supply
Dynamotors were provided in at Town Hall and Lang Park to supply direct current to customers. Alternating current was adopted as the new standard from 1930, although the first AC substation did not come into use until 1935. The AC system was not completed until c. 1958. No new DC customers were accepted after 1935, but the existing supply continued, albeit with mercury-arc rectifiers in later years, until 1985.
Sydney County Council
In 1936, all functions of the Electricity Department of the Municipal Council of Sydney were transferred to a new body, known as the Sydney County Council (SCC), which was formed in 1935. The Sydney County Council would be responsible for the supply of electricity to numerous constituent municipalities in the greater Sydney region. The constituent municipal councils elected and controlled the new body. This arrangement continued until 1952, when the SCC's generation responsibilities were transferred to the Electricity Commission of New South Wales.