Press Release
Rio Tinto invests US0 million for regional power upgrade in the Pilbara
Tuesday, July 15 2008
Rio Tinto has announced an investment of over US0 million in cleaner, more sustainable power generation to support its expansion of iron ore mining capacity in Western Australia.
It will build generation and transmission infrastructure near Karratha worth US3 million (US7 million Rio Tinto share) to supply electricity to its port and mine operations. The new power station will be constructed adjacent to the 7 Mile Rail Operations site.
It will use natural gas turbines, resulting in a significant reduction in emission rates compared with the two steam power stations currently in operation at the Cape Lambert and Dampier ports, which will be decommissioned.
As part of the investment, Rio Tinto will build a 220kv power line from the new power station to Cape Lambert. The power station will be commissioned in 2010.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore group chief executive Sam Walsh said the open cycle gas turbines would emit about 25 per cent less carbon dioxide than the existing steam turbines.
"At an annual production rate of 220 million tonnes of iron ore – a rate we expect to reach in Q4 of 2008 - we will be saving 200,000 tonnes a year of greenhouse gas emissions by moving to open cycle turbines," he said.
Rio Tinto is responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity to its mines, ports and associated towns. This network forms a significant component of the Pilbara’s North West Interconnected System.
Rio Tinto will study options to increase power generation further to support future expansion plans in the Pilbara.
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