Titan Noise Mitigation Project Residential Update

The Power and Water Corporation is progressing work to reduce noise emitted by the Titan generator at the Ron Goodin Power Station in Alice Springs.

The Titan’s existing gas turbine exhaust system will now be replaced with a new exhaust stack with more extensive baffles that has been custom designed to address both the general noise level and specific noise characteristics emitted by the Titan.

The decision to replace the existing exhaust system was made following extensive evaluation of the Titan’s noise, in conjunction with available engineering solutions and on advice from the Titan’s manufacturer.

The new exhaust stack is currently being manufactured and is on track to be fitted and commissioned in October 2006. The equipment manufacturer has guaranteed its performance, and Power and Water is confident it will bring the sound emitted by the Titan to within acceptable standards.

Moving the Titan
Power and Water has received queries about moving the Titan generator to the Brewer Estate.

At this stage Power and Water is confident that the new exhaust system will resolve the noise issue. However, should future sound measurements indicate continuing unacceptable noise levels, Power and Water will consider relocating the Titan.

Relocation raises many logistical issues, including possible land acquisition and augmentation of the existing transmission line, and is not a simple or quick solution.

Future sound testing
To determine initial noise levels emitted from the Titan, testing was conducted in residential homes in the Golf Course Estate and Sadadeen area.

The results of that sound testing were complex, but showed that under certain weather conditions the noise levels from the Titan were higher than would be acceptable under the NSW Environment Protection Authority Industrial Noise Policy, which is the only published policy of its type in Australia.

The results of these sound tests were essential to the design process for the new exhaust system.

When the new exhaust system is installed, further tests will be completed to confirm that the design has met its guarantees and to determine the success of the project.

For more information, contact
Power and Water’s Manager Generation South,
Jean-Luc Revel on 1800 245 092.