Repowering Port Augusta

Port Augusta is becoming a solar powerhouse

December 2012

From vision to reality

In 2010, South Australia's town of Port Augusta was at a crossroads - the town’s coal-fired power station was due to close, taking with it an important source of electricity as well as local jobs. Beyond Zero Emissions identified Port Augusta as the ideal place to build a solar thermal power plant – the first in a network of plants around Australia - by replacing the two coal power plants with concentrated solar power. The local community got behind the plan. Now, it's happening.

Benefits for Port Augusta

Repowering Port Augusta outlines a pathway to energy security, power price stability, increased jobs, emissions reductions and beneficial economic and health outcomes. Outcomes that are achievable and affordable. Find out why it was an opportunity too good to miss.

Benefits for Port Augusta

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Fast facts

Repowering Port Augusta

Lock in stable electricity prices

Provide energy security

Eliminate health impacts from coal and gas

Provide thousands of direct jobs for locals

A win for Port Augusta

Beyond Zero Emissions promoted the Repowering Port Augusta plan with local people and politicians, including every member of the South Australian Parliament. The local community got behind our plan and formed Repower Port Augusta Alliance to campaign to bring solar thermal power to their town.

After several years of hard work this campaign was successful: in 2017 the South Australian Government announced a 150 MW solar thermal power plant would be built in Port Augusta, with Premier Jay Weatherill awarding the $650 million contract to Solar Reserve. Construction begins in 2019.