Nation’s 'dirtiest' power stations to burn brown coal for decades

Victoria could be still burning brown coal to produce electricity in 30 years, after the state government extended the licences of two key power stations in the Latrobe Valley.

The Loy Yang and Yallourn power stations 

will continue to burn brown coal.

Picture: Justin McManus

Green groups are furious at the deal to keep what they call Australia’s dirtiest power stations at Yallourn and Loy Yang open until 2032 and 2048 respectively, calling Friday's decision a “win for the big polluters”.

But Treasurer and Resources Minister Tim Pallas says he has secured “certainty” for workers in the valley and negotiated a 17-year clean-up period after the generators, which supply about 70 per cent of the state’s electricity, and their mines have stopped operating.

Mr Pallas also says there will be no repeat of the debacle over the closure of the Liddell mine in NSW, with the operators of the Victorian power stations, Energy Australia and AGL, agreeing to give at least five years' notice of any intention to shut down their operations.

Read the story from The Age by Noel Towell - “Nation’s 'dirtiest' power stations to burn brown coal for decades.”

Environment watchdog could slap tougher emissions caps on power plants

Victoria’s environmental watchdog is reviewing the licences of the state’s three remaining coal-fired power plants, amid claims toxic emissions have contributed to an unusually high number of low-birthweight babies in the Latrobe Valley and even poisoned native dolphins.

Burrunan dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes have 

recorded some of the highest mercury levels in the world.

The Environment Protection Authority is considering imposing tighter emissions caps on the three power stations, Yallourn, Loy Yang A and Loy Yang B, which together supply about 80 per cent of the state’s electricity.

At the end of the review, revised licence conditions will set legal emissions levels for potentially harmful substances including nitrogen, carbon monoxide, sulphur, mercury and particulate matter.

But the EPA has given no indication it will impose new limits on carbon dioxide emissions, despite calls from Victorian environmental groups to do so as a way to tackle global warming.

Combined, the plants emit about one-third of Victoria’s greenhouse gases.

Read Adam Carey’s story in The Age - “Environment watchdog could slap tougher emissions caps on power plants.”