Delta Electricity
| Company type | Private (formerly government-owned) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electricity generation |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Government of New South Wales |
| Fate | Acquired by Sunset Power International in November 2015 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Electricity generation (thermal coal-fired power plants) |
| Parent | Sunset Power International (since 2015) |
Delta Electricity is an Australian company specializing in electricity generation, founded by the Government of New South Wales in 1996 amid reforms to the state's electricity industry, which included the dissolution of the Electricity Commission of New South Wales. At its inception, Delta Electricity owned solely the Vales Point Power Station. In November 2015, it was acquired by Sunset Power International for $1 million and was later appraised at $730 million in 2017. The company's assets are predominantly composed of thermal coal-fired power plants.
Generation portfolio
As a former government-owned entity, Delta Electricity managed multiple power facilities under contractual agreements for electricity sales. Since December 2015, its operations have been limited exclusively to the Vales Point Power Station.
| Name | Fuel | Type | Location | Maximum capacity | Commissioned | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwater | Biomass | 38 megawatts (51,000 hp) | Transferred to Cape Byron Power, November 2013 | |||
| Chichester Dam | Hydroelectricity | Conventional | near Dungog | 110 kilowatts (150 hp) | 2001 | |
| Colongra | Gas | Gas turbines | Colongra | 667 megawatts (894,000 hp) | 2009 | Sold to Snowy Hydro, January 2015 |
| Condong | Biomass | 30 megawatts (40,000 hp) | Transferred to Cape Byron Power, November 2013 | |||
| Dungog | Hydroelectricity | Dungog | 110 kilowatts (150 hp) | |||
| Munmorah – decommissioned | Coal | Steam turbines | Lake Munmorah | 600 megawatts (800,000 hp) | 1967 / 69 | Retained by NSW Government/Generator Property Management |
| Vales Point | Coal | Steam turbines | Mannering Park | 1,320 megawatts (1,770,000 hp) | 1963 / 64, 1978 |
History
Delta Electricity was created by the Government of New South Wales in 1996 as part of a comprehensive restructuring of the state's electricity sector, which involved dismantling the Electricity Commission of New South Wales.
In 1998, following recommendations from a Health Rivers Commission report, Minister Craig Knowles announced plans to construct a small hydroelectric facility at Chichester Dam. This initiative aimed to produce electricity, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and supply surplus power back to the State grid. Completed in 2001 and operated by Delta Electricity, this mini hydro plant can generate up to at peak flow with an average yearly output of .
During the tenure of the Kristina Keneally Labor government’s push toward privatizing NSW electricity assets—including Delta’s trading rights—four out of five Delta directors resigned in protest on 14 December 2010. Subsequently, on 28 February 2011 and under government directive, Delta’s newly appointed Board entered into Generation Trading Agreements with energy retailer TRUenergy, securing electricity supply from both Wallerawang Power Station and Mount Piper Power Station. A later NSW Parliamentary Inquiry faced obstruction when former directors declined to provide testimony without parliamentary privilege protections, which were denied by Keneally’s administration.
Legislation enabling the sale of state-owned generators was passed in May 2012. By July 2013, EnergyAustralia purchased Wallerawang and Mount Piper Power Stations from Delta for A$160 million. In November 2014, EnergyAustralia declared the permanent shutdown of Wallerawang citing diminished energy demand, elevated operating expenses, and restricted access to competitively priced coal. Equipment salvage commenced in 2015 followed by demolition activities.
Early in 2015, ownership of the Colongra Power Station was transferred to Snowy Hydro. By November that year, Delta Electricity—then limited to ownership of only the Vales Point Power Station—was sold to Sunset Power International for $1 million. Delta Electricity ceased operations in October 2016. Meanwhile, the NSW Government retained control over the decommissioned Munmorah Power Station, which is currently undergoing demolition managed by Generation Property Management.