Liontown Resources Limited has announced the execution of a Letter of Award (LOA) with Zenith Energy Pty Ltd, an Australian independent power producer, for power supply to the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in Western Australia (WA).
In a statement, Liontown stated that for 15 years, beginning with the Hybrid Power Station’s expected commercial operation in 2024, Zenith Energy will finance, design, build, own, operate, and maintain the 95MW hybrid power station at Kathleen Valley.
“Awarding the Power Supply contract is another important milestone for Liontown and the development of Kathleen Valley. We continue to deliver on our ESG credentials by taking real action to reduce the Project’s carbon emissions from the outset,” Liontown Managing Director and CEO Tony Ottaviano said.
Wind generation from five 6MW wind turbines will be included in the Hybrid Power Station. Additional clean energy will also be provided by a 16MWp fixed axis solar PV array connected to a 17MW / 19MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), backed by highly dependable synchronous condensers that are crucial for system stability and resilience. Meanwhile, 27MW of gas generation and 5MW of diesel standby generation will make up the thermal power component.
According to Liontown, the Hybrid Power Station is expected to be the largest off-grid renewable capacity once constructed compared to any mining project in Australia, with 46MW expected to be generated from wind and solar and 17MW from the BESS.
“We believe Zenith is an ideal partner to deliver an industry-leading hybrid power station to meet Liontown’s energy needs and requirements for a high-capacity renewable solution. When fully constructed, this hybrid power station will enable Liontown to exceed our target of achieving at least 60% renewable energy at Project start-up and beyond,” Ottaviano said.
The execution of the Letter of Award enables Zenith Energy to start the planning, legal, engineering, design works, and placing orders for long lead items, each of which is necessary to facilitate the delivery of the Hybrid Power Station aligned with the schedule of the Kathleen Valley project.
“The Letter of Award enables the partnership to move forward with the next stage of delivery of this industry-leading, highly innovative, secure, low carbon emissions hybrid power solution to the Kathleen Valley project. Zenith Energy is proud to continue to play a lead role in the energy transition and to provide our partners with a glide path to net zero,” Zenith Energy Managing Director Hamish Moffat said.
As part of its commitment to collaborating with the Tjiwarl Traditional Owners, Zenith Energy recently announced a partnership with Tjiwarl Contracting Services (TCS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tjiwarl Aboriginal corporation. According to Liontown, Zenith Energy and TCS will deliver low carbon emission power solutions for miners and communities on Tjiwarl native title-determined lands thanks to their partnership.
