The power generator, keeping our lights on

"We're very happy with Caltex," says Ray.

Ray is Fuel Services Manager for Macquarie Generation, a New South Wales government owned corporation that supplies the national electricity market. Macquarie owns Bayswater and Liddell Power Stations in the Hunter region of the state.

For Ray, there's no typical day. Though his team spends most of their time dealing with the purchasing and delivery of coal for the power stations, firing up and feeding the plants is a complex business.

That's where Caltex comes in. The power stations don't just depend on coal. The hundreds of thousands of litres of distillate that Lisa orders over the internet from Caltex, depending on need, is used to fire up the plants after a shutdown before they switch to coal. Depending on circumstances, between 200,000 and 500,000 litres is needed for a boiler startup.

Or, as happened last June when flooding closed the New England Highway between Singleton and Muswellbrook, the coal became so wet that distillate was burned as well to support the combustion process.

Since Macquarie Generation generates 40 per cent of the state's electricity, that means Caltex helped keep the lights on. "We can run into severe problems if coal flow to the boiler gets interrupted," explains Ray. "If you have problems with coal quality you may need oil to keep the units running."

Caltex won the tender to supply Macquarie Generation in March 2007, based on price and performance. "We're very happy with Caltex," says Ray.

Once orders are made, Ray's team deals directly with Gary Ehsman, Caltex Fleet Coordinator at the Newcastle terminal, to sort out delivery arrangements made by B-double tankers. "Deliveries are made as we need them," says Ray. "We may get nothing for a week, then order half a million litres."

Yet the deliveries are always reliable, he adds. "In an emergency when fuel is needed right away, we've never had a situation where distillate isn't available," says Ray.

Power for the territory

"In a two-month period recently, Caltex supplied large volumes of fuel to keep power stations running across the continent," says Harry.

In the same way Caltex is relied on throughout Australia to deliver fuel to ensure electricity is available for hospitals, industry, commerce and homes.

In the Northern Territory, for example, Power and Water Corporation buys diesel from Caltex for generators to supply customers across a vast area. The fuel is used to generate power for Darwin; for towns like Alice Springs, Robinson River and Galiwinku; to nearly 7,000 customers in remote Aboriginal communities and to the islands of the Top End (by barge).

In Darwin Caltex supplies diesel out of its local terminal for the Channel Island Power Station in the city's harbour. The biggest power station in the territory, it can run on either gas or diesel, says National Sales Manager Harry Stilin.

"In a two-month period recently, Caltex supplied large volumes of fuel to keep power stations running across the continent," says Harry.

"It's true to say that thanks to Caltex's responsiveness and its strength in supply and distribution, the lights have always stayed on."

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