In 1903, the Public Health Department directed Balmain Council to find alternatives to the open tip dumping of local rubbish. The council invited tenders for a combined garbage destructor and power plant and on 30 September 1909, the newly constructed power station 'A' commenced operation. Power came from 2 Belliss and Morcom high-speed engines coupled to 5000-volt BTH generators. The output was 500 kW from one machine and 250 kW from the other. Steam came from two Babcox and Wilcox chain grate coal-fired boilers plus the destructor boiler. In 1913 two Willans & Robinson 900 kW turbo generators were added. These were further accompanied by a Curtis-BTH 2.5 MW turbine (No1) in 1914. A Curtis-BTH 3 MW machine (No2) was added in 1922. A 7.5 MW Fraser & Chalmers machine was added in 1923. Steam came from additional Babcox and Wilcox chain grate boilers. This brought "A" Station capacity to 15 MW. In 1928 a 10 MW Curtis - BTH machine (No3) was installed, and in 1935 an 18.75 MW AEG turbine (No4) was added, bringing total capacity to 41 MW. In 1947 and 1953 the first two Babcock+ Wilcox boilers were transferred to Muswellbrook power station.