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89-506: The Hazelwood Power Station is a decommissioned brown coal -fuelled thermal power station located in the Latrobe Valley of Victoria, Australia . Built between 1964 and 1971, the 1,600-megawatt-capacity power station was made up of eight 200MW units, and supplied up to 25% of Victoria's base load electricity and more than 5% of Australia's total electricity demand. It was a 'subcritical' pulverized coal-fired boiler . The station

178-539: A "Quit Coal" banner outside the plant while 12 activists occupied the brown coal pit, with two locking themselves to coal dredging equipment. This action drew worldwide attention to Hazelwood's CO 2 emissions and their harmful impacts on the global climate. On 6 November 2008 a group of seven people protesting against Australia's inaction on climate change walked onto the site of the Hazelwood power station and temporarily stopped one conveyor belt which carries coal from

267-480: A 60% increase in power generation since 1996, Hazelwood averaged up to 16 million tonnes (16,000,000 long tons; 18,000,000 short tons) of carbon dioxide each year and, after Loy Yang A Power station, was the second highest emitter in the Latrobe Valley until 2015. Hazelwood had been the site of two carbon capture trials to lower its CO 2 emissions (see below). In late 2008, International Power stated

356-560: A fuel for poor people compared to higher value hard coals. In Germany, briquettes are still readily available to end consumers in home improvement stores and supermarkets. An environmentally beneficial use of lignite is in agriculture. Lignite may have value as an environmentally benign soil amendment , improving cation exchange and phosphorus availability in soils while reducing availability of heavy metals, and may be superior to commercial K humates. Lignite fly ash produced by combustion of lignite in power plants may also be valuable as

445-416: A large number of officers on foot deployed within the perimeter fence. Many were issued with handheld video recorders and digital cameras and filmed people attending the rally. Police also deployed personnel in dingies in adjacent pondage lakes. A large number of activists also deployed video recording during the day. The rally began at 11am with speeches from Australian Greens Scott Ludlam, Dave Sweeney from

534-416: A net wet basis. Lignite has a high content of volatile matter which makes it easier to convert into gas and liquid petroleum products than higher-ranking coals. Its high moisture content and susceptibility to spontaneous combustion can cause problems in transportation and storage. Processes which remove water from brown coal reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion to the same level as black coal, increase

623-708: A realignment of Hazelwood's mining licence boundaries that were originally set in 1996. Hazelwood returned over 160 million tonnes of coal to the State Government as part of that agreement. The agreement required Hazelwood to reduce its estimated emissions by 34 million tonnes (33,000,000 long tons; 37,000,000 short tons) and capped its total greenhouse output at 445 million tonnes (438,000,000 long tons; 491,000,000 short tons) of carbon dioxide over its life, after which point it may have been made to cease operation. However, credits for investment in renewable energy and low emission technology were expected to allow

712-430: A result of increased temperatures and pressures underground. Lignite forms from peat that has not been subjected to deep burial and heating. It forms at temperatures below 100 °C (212 °F), primarily by biochemical degradation. This includes the process of humification, in which microorganisms extract hydrocarbons from peat and form humic acids, which decrease the rate of bacterial decay. In lignite, humification

801-640: A result, its carbon content on the as-received basis (i.e., containing both inherent moisture and mineral matter) is typically just 25-35 percent. The energy content of lignite ranges from 10 to 20 MJ/kg (9–17 million BTU per short ton ) on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis. The energy content of lignite consumed in the United States averages 15 MJ/kg (13 million BTU/ton), on the as-received basis. The energy content of lignite consumed in Victoria, Australia, averages 8.6 MJ/kg (8.2 million BTU/ton) on

890-413: A soil amendment and fertilizer. However, rigorous studies of the long-term benefits of lignite products in agriculture are lacking. Lignite may also be used for the cultivation and distribution of biological control microbes that suppress plant pests. The carbon increases the organic matter in the soil while the biological control microbes provide an alternative to chemical pesticides. Leonardite

979-504: A total of 1,200 MW of generating capacity. The first unit was to enter service in 1964, and the sixth in 1971. Growing electricity demand saw a review carried out by the SECV in 1963, with commissioning of the generating units moved forward to 1969. Additional capacity was provided when in 1965 two additional generating units at Hazelwood were approved, to be commissioned in 1970 and 1971 respectively. Hazelwood relied on brown coal deposits from

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1068-589: A wholly owned subsidiary of the French company Engie (formerly GDF Suez). The company was formed as International Power in 2000 by the demerger of National Power . It was listed on the London Stock Exchange from 2000 to 2 July 2012, and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index for most of that period. It had a market capitalisation of approximately £16.9 billion as of 23 December 2011, making it

1157-561: A year in Gippsland, and make many more people sick. The Greenpeace report attributed 37 deaths in the south-east Gippsland region to pollution from coal plants, with almost half of those in the Latrobe Valley. The estimated annual health burden on the community of Hazelwood's air pollution was $ 100 million each year, calculated using methodology developed by the US National Academy of Sciences. A fire, commonly referred to as

1246-519: Is a hardened, gem-like form of lignite used in various types of jewelry. Germany is the largest producer of lignite, followed by China , Russia , and United States . Lignite accounted for 8% of all U.S. coal production in 2019. – no data available Engie Energy International Engie Energy International , formerly International Power , is a multinational electricity generation company headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne , and

1335-563: Is a soil conditioner rich in humic acids that is formed by natural oxidation when lignite comes in contact with air. The process can be replicated artificially on a large scale. The less matured xyloid (wood-shaped) lignite also contains high amounts of humic acid. Reaction with quaternary amine forms a product called amine-treated lignite (ATL), which is used in drilling mud to reduce fluid loss during drilling. Lignite may have potential uses as an industrial adsorbent . Experiments show that its adsorption of methylene blue falls within

1424-542: Is being progressively and safely removed by specialised licensed contractors during major plant outages and maintenance activities." The same newspaper subsequently reported comments by EPA that the Hazelwood business had no case to answer and that asbestos fibres were not present in its smokestacks. The Australian Conservation Foundation has put the A$ 400 million 2005 Hazelwood expansion in context by comparing it to Victoria's five-star energy efficient homes standard , which

1513-474: Is expected to save 200,000 tonnes (200,000 long tons; 220,000 short tons) of greenhouse gases per annum. The ACF reasons that Hazelwood's operations would cancel out that benefit every four days. Former ACF Executive director Don Henry said he would follow formal objections with legal action to prevent the grant of 'new' coal to IPRH. Most of the West Field coal reserves were allocated to Hazelwood in 1996 in

1602-427: Is not just in the stacks, it's everywhere, the place is riddled with it, Hazelwood has no duty of care to its workers or the public." Another worker, trained in asbestos identification, said for years Hazelwood management had ignored workers' concerns. International Power Hazelwood spokesperson Neil Lawson has responded, "It is well documented that there is still an amount of contained asbestos material which, if required,

1691-431: Is now of lower importance than its use to generate electricity. Lignite is often found in thick beds located near the surface, making it inexpensive to mine. However, because of its low energy density , tendency to crumble, and typically high moisture content, brown coal is inefficient to transport and is not traded extensively on the world market compared with higher coal grades. It is often burned in power stations near

1780-492: Is partial, coming to completion only when the coal reaches sub-bituminous rank. The most characteristic chemical change in the organic material during formation of lignite is the sharp reduction in the number of C=O and C-O-R functional groups. Lignite deposits are typically younger than higher-ranked coals, with the majority of them having formed during the Tertiary period. Lignite is often found in thick beds located near

1869-583: The Clean Energy Future Group together with Environment Victoria released the report "Toward Victoria's Clean Energy Future" , a plan to cut Victoria's Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity by 2010. It largely focused on cleaner alternatives to Hazelwood, and warned that continued support of coal-fired power development would lock the State into CO 2 emissions that would dwarf any current proposed measures for reducing emissions. Following

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1958-620: The Kennett government in 1996 after many years of downsizing under a 'structural efficiency' model undertaken by the then state Liberal government. It was sold for A$ 2.35 billion, and it operated as 'IPR-GDF SUEZ Hazelwood', an Australian public company, which was owned by United Kingdom company, International Power (91.8% share)- part of the GDF SUEZ group - and the Commonwealth Bank (the remaining 8.2%). The business office

2047-631: The Pentland Firth . On 16 April 2012, GDF Suez announced the purchase of the remaining 30% of International Power and the transaction closed in July 2012. International Power has a pipeline of large projects in the emerging markets ; namely South America, the Middle East, South-East Asia - representing approximately 13 GW generating capacity and expected to be completed between 2014 and 2017. The purchase of IP will boost GDF Suez' presence in

2136-598: The calorific value of brown coal to a black coal equivalent fuel, and significantly reduce the emissions profile of 'densified' brown coal to a level similar to or better than most black coals. However, removing the moisture increases the cost of the final lignite fuel. Lignite rapidly degrades when exposed to air. This process is called slacking or slackening . Most lignite is used to generate electricity. However, small amounts are used in agriculture , in industry , and even, as jet , in jewelry . Its historical use as fuel for home heating has continuously declined and

2225-400: The electricity that has under-pinned the state's economic development and well-being." The eight chimneys at the power station were demolished on 25 May 2020. Reclamation works are being undertaken at the site to restore it. Replacement s for the electricity generation infrastructure that was on the site will not be built. The station was listed as the least carbon efficient power station in

2314-596: The railway network was dependent on lignite either through steam trains or electrified lines mostly fed with lignite derived power. As per the table below, East Germany was the largest producer of lignite for much of its existence as an independent state. In 2014, about 12 percent of Germany's energy and, specifically, 27 percent of Germany's electricity came from lignite power plants, while in 2014 in Greece , lignite provided about 50 percent of its power needs. Germany has announced plans to phase out lignite by 2038 at

2403-479: The 1960s. The pondage is supplied with water from the Moondarra Reservoir and runoff pumped from the adjacent mine. Within the mine, water was sprayed onto the coal surfaces to reduce the chance of fire and to suppress fugitive dust . Public access to the pondage for sailing, boating and other recreational water sports is permitted. Cichlids and other tropical fish that were released into the lake by

2492-435: The 2014 Hazelwood mine fire, Environment Victoria worked with locals in the Latrobe Valley to ensure national attention to the pollution disaster by generating media coverage and urging an inquiry into the fire; releasing a report by Harvard University researchers about the hidden health costs of Hazelwood; appearing at both inquiries, cross-examining both government regulators and ENGIE executives and ensuring mine rehabilitation

2581-691: The 24th-largest company on the London Stock Exchange. In February 2011, GDF Suez acquired a 70% interest in International Power. The purchase of the remaining 30% was announced by GDF Suez in April 2012, and the transaction closed in July 2012. Following the acquisition, the company was renamed GDF Suez Energy International. In 2015, GDF Suez rebranded as Engie, and its subsidiary renamed itself in accordance. In 2000 National Power demerged its UK businesses as Innogy plc with

2670-493: The Australian Conservation Foundation, author David Spratt and Melbourne based paediatrician Merryn Redenbach, amongst others, with several speakers stressing that protesters had no argument with police or plant workers and emphasising the organising group's calls for new wind turbine, solar water and insulation manufacturing capacity to be developed in the Latrobe Valley. The group then marched to

2759-654: The Hazelwood Coal Mine Fire, started at the mine on 9 February 2014 and was officially considered controlled on 10 March 2014. The Chief Officer of the Country Fire Authority described the fire as "one of the largest, longest running and most complex fires in the State's history." Thousands of residents in nearby towns were affected by smoke and ash from the fire. On 28 February the Chief Health Officer of Victoria advised

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2848-503: The Hazelwood mine, GDF Suez, to exceed $ 100 million. In July 2015, Hazelwood owners GDF Suez announced that the company would refuse to pay the 18 million dollar bill for fighting the fire presented by the Country Fire Authority. According to a statement released by the company, the firefighting effort should be provided to it at no further charge as it had already paid routine taxes and levies in previous years, although

2937-615: The Latrobe Valley as a clean energy hub. In June 2009, an anonymous letter purporting to come from the Earth Liberation Front was sent to the home of the CEO of the power station, Graeme York. The letter threatened to harm property, but did not threaten physical harm against any individuals or animals, despite being portrayed as such in commercial media due to the ELF activities overseas. ELF media spokesperson Jason Crawford defended

3026-676: The OECD nations in a 2005 report by WWF Australia. The WWF reported that the power station produced 1.58 tonnes (1.56 long tons; 1.74 short tons) of CO 2 per megawatt-hour of electricity generated in 2004 (official result was 1.55), which was a reduction of 6.6% from the 1996 levels of 1.66 Mt/TWh when the plant was privatised. This is still 50% more polluting than the average black coal power station in NSW or Queensland. Hazelwood emitted up to 15% of Victoria's annual greenhouse gas emissions and 3% of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions before closure. With

3115-561: The SECV would have shut the station down in 2005. Before privatisation the power station was due to be decommissioned by the SECV by 2005, as had older plants at Newport and Yallourn . However, Hazelwood had its mining licence realigned by the Victorian Government along with EES approvals to move a river and a road on 6 September 2005. This agreement ensured security of coal supply to the plant until at least 2030 by allowing access to 43 million tonnes of brown coal deposits in

3204-530: The State Government insurance authority, and a further $ 369 million is expected to be paid out by the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority to former employees. In June 2010, EPA confirmed it was investigating reports asbestos could be in one of Hazelwood's smoke stacks. A former worker claims to have lost his job after speaking out about asbestos at a health and safety meeting. Speaking to The Express newspaper he said, "It

3293-598: The adjoining mine from the Victorian Government in 1996 with an expected 40-year life. In 2005, the Bracks government approved an environmental effects statement (EES) that allowed Hazelwood to relocate a road and a section of the Morwell River to allow access to an additional 43 million tonnes of coal in addition to that allowed under the mining licence boundaries set at the time of privatisation. This

3382-439: The air: 7,700 tonnes (7,600 long tons; 8,500 short tons) hydrochloric acid , 2,700 tonnes (2,700 long tons; 3,000 short tons) of oxides of nitrogen , 2,900 tonnes (2,900 long tons; 3,200 short tons) of particulate matter 10 μm, and 15 grams (0.53 oz) of polychlorinated dioxins and furans. Many pollutants are not measured. Air pollution from the normal operations of Hazelwood alone had been estimated to kill at least 18 people

3471-420: The area remains saturated with water, which covers dead vegetation and protects it from atmospheric oxygen. Otherwise, peat swamps are found in a variety of climates and geographical settings. Anaerobic bacteria may contribute to the degradation of peat, but this process takes a long time, particularly in acidic water. Burial by other sediments further slows biological degradation, and subsequent transformations are

3560-705: The associated environmental impacts, have led to significant criticism by environmental groups, and civil disobedience actions (see below). During 2011 and 2012, the Australian Government considered a Contract for Closure program to complement the Clean Energy Act policy. Hazelwood would likely have been closed under this program had it been pursued. However, this program was scrapped in September 2012 and no plants were closed. On 3 November 2016, Engie announced that Hazelwood would be closed by

3649-719: The brown coal reserves at Morwell was started by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV) in 1949 as the 'Morwell Project', which included the Morwell open cut mine, and the Morwell briquette works . The Morwell Interconnecting Railway linked the power station and briquette works to the Yallourn open cut mine until 1993. Hazelwood Power Station was approved in 1959, and was to consist of six 200-megawatt (270,000 hp) generating units, giving

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3738-490: The business to operate within the cap and extend its life. In spite of this, the station was still decommissioned. Hazelwood's West Field development involved completing a new 7.5-kilometre (4.7 mi) section of the Strzelecki Highway , replacing over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of the Morwell River from an old concrete pipe into a natural open channel riverine setting, and acquiring privately owned land which

3827-507: The company. The French Environment Minister said Engie would 'disengage' from Hazelwood power station during a documentary that aired on French TV in May 2016. The Minister's response came after receiving a petition about the Hazelwood mine fire from Environment Victoria . The decommissioning and rehabilitation of the site is estimated to cost at least $ 743 million, six times the previously predicted amount. This includes $ 439 million to rehabilitate

3916-401: The decommissioning and rehabilitation processes, the redundancy packages offered, as well as the future of other workers and the local community in and around Morwell directly and indirectly impacted by the closure of the power station. On 27 March 2017, units #8, #6 and #4 were permanently shut down, followed by units #2, #7 and #5 on 28 March 2017, and units #3 and #1 on 29 March 2017. Unit #1

4005-473: The end of March 2017, citing the company's transformational policy of investing solely in low-carbon and renewable energy, as well lower energy prices and oversupply within Victoria. In May 2016, CEO Isabelle Kocher said the company was reviewing its remaining coal plants one by one and would close those with the most outdated technology. The largest shareholder in Engie is the French government, which owns 33% of

4094-465: The end of its productive life, lasting far longer than anyone would have anticipated when its life began. Our employees past and present, as well as contractors, local suppliers and businesses, and the broader Latrobe Valley community have all played their part in ensuring that Hazelwood has been a key player in the nation's electricity system over that time. Victoria should be very proud that Hazelwood has continued operating for more than 50 years, producing

4183-639: The entire Hazelwood plant would be closed at the end of March 2017 giving five months notice of the closure. The power station closed in March 2017. When the power station closed, wholesale prices in Victoria were up 85% on 2016, according to the Australian Energy Regulator , and for the first time in almost a decade, the state relied on energy from interstate to meet its needs. A 150 MW one-hour grid battery opened in June 2023. Development of

4272-481: The financial viability of the power station would be in question under a greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme (ETS), unless the company received significant compensation. In 2005, 1.31 megalitres (46 × 10 ^  cu ft) of water was consumed per 1 gigawatt-hour (3.6 TJ) of power generated. Cooling water for the power station was supplied by the Hazelwood Pondage, built for this purpose in

4361-433: The front of the power station, where several participants, including some dressed in mock Carbon Police outfits, climbed temporary fencing in an attempt to issue a "Community Decommission Order" to the power station. Lignite Lignite combustion produces less heat for the amount of carbon dioxide and sulfur released than other ranks of coal. As a result, lignite is the most harmful coal to human health. Depending on

4450-931: The governments of Japan and Australia has begun extracting hydrogen from brown coal. The liquefied hydrogen will be shipped via the transporter Suiso Frontier to Japan. The largest lignite deposits in North America are the Gulf Coast lignites and the Fort Union lignite field. The Gulf Coast lignites are located in a band running from Texas to Alabama roughly parallel to the Gulf Coast. The Fort Union lignite field stretches from North Dakota to Saskatchewan . Both are important commercial sources of lignite. Lignite can be separated into two types: xyloid lignite or fossil wood , and compact lignite or perfect lignite. Although xyloid lignite may sometimes have

4539-597: The inquiry identified that the areas of the mine which burned were unrehabilitated, whereas rehabilitated areas did not catch fire. In May 2020 the Hazelwood Power Corporation was fined $ 1.56 million fine for occupational health and safety breaches associated with the fire. The rate of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma among power industry workers was found to be seven times the national average. (Victorian State Government study, 2001). Latrobe Valley power industry workers die 15 years younger than

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4628-881: The land has been restored to full productivity. A bond (not necessary in this form) for mine reclamation is required in the US by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 . The Latrobe Valley in Victoria , Australia , contains estimated reserves of some 65 billion tonnes of brown coal. The deposit is equivalent to 25 percent of known world reserves. The coal seams are up to 98 m (322 ft) thick, with multiple coal seams often giving virtually continuous brown coal thickness of up to 230 m (755 ft). Seams are covered by very little overburden (10 to 20 m (33 to 66 ft)). A partnership led by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and backed by

4717-473: The latest. Greece has confirmed that the last coal plant will be shut in 2025 after receiving pressure from the European Union and plans to heavily invest in renewable energy . Lignite was and is used as a replacement for or in combination with firewood for home heating. It is usually pressed into briquettes for that use. Due to the smell it gives off when burned, lignite was often seen as

4806-519: The letter, but was unable to confirm that it had been sent by his organisation. The ELF letter was publicly condemned by Greenpeace, whose activists had engaged in nonviolent direct action at the plant six weeks earlier. In late 2009, in response to the "Switch Off Hazelwood—Switch on Renewables" protests, the State of Victoria introduced penalties of one years' imprisonment for trespass, and two years' imprisonment for damaging, interfering, tampering, or attaching something to electricity infrastructure. This

4895-407: The lignite is removed, restoration involves grading the mine spoil to as close an approximation as practical of the original ground surface (Approximate Original Contour or AOC). Subsoil and topsoil are restored and the land reseeded with various grasses. In North Dakota , a performance bond is held against the mining company for at least ten years after the end of mining operations to guarantee that

4984-411: The mine fire. Many people and local businesses have experienced financial impacts for a range of reasons including a downturn in business, medical costs, veterinary costs, time taken off work, relocation from their homes, cleaning their homes and businesses, and possible decreases in property value. The Board estimated the total cost borne by the Victorian Government, the local community and the operator of

5073-415: The mine to the power station. No production was lost due to adequate reserve bunker stocks of coal. On 28 March 2009, a group of around 30 people took part in a rally at the power station ahead of the 2009 Earth Hour . Two protesters chained themselves to a conveyor belt, briefly disrupting the supply of coal between the Hazelwood mine and the power plant. Again, electricity production was not disrupted from

5162-405: The mine, and $ 304 million to demolish the plant and restore the surrounding area. This is in addition to $ 324 million payable by the owners for redundancy and leave entitlements over the two years after closure, bringing the total cost of closing the plant to almost $ 1.1 billion. In the lead up to the closure, there was insecurity around the numbers of Hazelwood workers Engie would keep employing in

5251-578: The mines, such as in Poland's Bełchatów plant and Turów plant , Australia's Latrobe Valley and Luminant 's Monticello plant and Martin Lake plant in Texas. Primarily because of latent high moisture content and low energy density of brown coal, carbon dioxide emissions from traditional brown-coal-fired plants are generally much higher per megawatt-hour generated than for comparable black-coal plants, with

5340-458: The national average. The power stations of the Latrobe Valley used asbestos widely in their construction and in the maintenance of the power plant. The substance was banned in Victoria in 2003. However, it's estimated that 146,000 employees and contractors, who worked in SEC plants from 1921 to the 1980s, were exposed to it. Between 1976 and 2008, $ 52.6 million has been paid to former SEC employees by

5429-431: The nearby Morwell open cut mine . In 2003, the plant used 17.2 million tonnes (16,900,000 long tons; 19,000,000 short tons) of coal, while a further 1.6 million tonnes (1,600,000 long tons; 1,800,000 short tons) of coal was supplied from the Morwell mine to Morwell Power Station Energy Brix Australia 2.5 km North East of Hazelwood Power Station. Hazelwood Power Station and associated mine were privatised by

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5518-407: The nearby town of Morwell . A large number of Hazelwood employees turned up to engage the protest organisers in a spirited debate about the reality of local jobs. Organisers liaised with Victoria Police prior to and during the demonstration and publicly declared intentions to undertake "peaceful civil disobedience" by entering the grounds of the power station to place symbolic decommission notices on

5607-541: The petition postcards were handed to French Environment Minister Segolene Royale on TV, which led to her response announcement that ENGIE would disengage from Hazelwood. Environment Victoria currently closely follows the Hazelwood closure process, engaging with LaTrobe Valley communities and campaigning for a just transition for the Valley. Greenpeace has pushed for a target of 20% clean energy for Victoria by 2020, expecting Hazelwood to have been retired, and to invigorate

5696-481: The plant building. The organisers also distributed guidelines asking participants to use "peaceful protest tactics" and held a number of training sessions on civil disobedience and nonviolence prior to the event. The company responded by installing a temporary perimeter fence around the plant, with police helicopters and mounted police patrolling the site on Saturday evening. On the Sunday, police contingencies included

5785-558: The pondage. The rally was supported by organisations and groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation , Environment Victoria and the Australian Greens . Many of the participants were families and many were professional activists from Melbourne and interstate. In the week before the rally, a community meeting entitled "Clean energy or coal: What future for Latrobe jobs?" was held in

5874-421: The power station despite large community outcry against the plant's operations. Three people were charged by Victoria Police for unspecified reasons. On 21 May 2009, 14 Greenpeace members illegally entered the site and thought they had temporarily shut down coal production after chaining themselves to an excavator. That 'excavator' was out for routine maintenance and again, no production from either mine or station

5963-440: The power station's polychlorinated dioxins and furans as "high 100", hydrochloric acid as "high 87", oxides of nitrogen as "medium 57", particulate matter 2.5 μm as "low 21", and boron & compounds as "low 15". The 2005-2006 NPI data showed that Hazelwood released 100 tonnes (98 long tons; 110 short tons) of boron and compounds into the air and 5.2 tonnes (5.1 long tons; 5.7 short tons) into water. Also released into

6052-482: The privatisation process. The ACF did not mount any legal objection to Hazelwood's allocated coal reserves. Environment Victoria had been campaigning for the closure of Hazelwood power station since 2005 and has pushed for alternative baseload generation through: biomass energy , wave energy , geothermal energy , new combined cycle gas fired generation plants, new cogeneration facilities, or increased imports of baseload electricity from interstate. In January 2005,

6141-570: The public have established populations, including Convict cichlids ( Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus ) and the African cichlid spotted tilapia ( Tilapia mariae ). Other fish include carp , goldfish ( Carassius auratus ), Gambusia ( Gambusia holbrooki ), and the native short-finned eel ( Anguilla australis ) and Australian smelt ( Retropinna semoni ). In a 2007-2008 report, the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) rated

6230-746: The range of activated carbons currently used by industry. Jet is a form of lignite that has been used as a gemstone. The earliest jet artifacts date to 10,000 BCE and jet was used extensively in necklaces and other ornamentation in Britain from the Neolithic until the end of Roman Britain . Jet experienced a brief revival in Victorian Britain . Lignite begins as partially decayed plant material, or peat. Peat tends to accumulate in areas with high moisture, slow land subsidence , and no disturbance by rivers or oceans – under these conditions,

6319-449: The remainder of the business being renamed International Power. The Company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange on 2 October 2000. In August 2010 the company announced a tie-up with GDF Suez via a reverse takeover whereby GDF Suez transferred its Energy International Business Areas (outside Europe) and certain assets in the UK and Turkey to International Power in exchange for 70% of

6408-458: The role the power station has played in the Latrobe Valley. "While Friday will be the end of an era and a very sad day for everyone who has had an involvement with Hazelwood over the past 52 years, it should also be a very proud day," Keisser said. "The decision to close Hazelwood was extremely difficult and was made only after we investigated all options to keep the business open. While it was state-of-the-art when it opened in 1964, it has now reached

6497-505: The source, various toxic heavy metals , including naturally occurring radioactive materials , may be present in lignite and left over in the coal fly ash produced from its combustion, further increasing health risks. Lignite is brownish-black in color and has a carbon content of 60–70 percent on a dry ash-free basis. However, its inherent moisture content is sometimes as high as 75 percent and its ash content ranges from 6–19 percent, compared with 6–12 percent for bituminous coal . As

6586-464: The state of mines around the country, and the risks they posed to nearby communities. On 11 March 2014, Premier Dennis Napthine announced a judicial inquiry into the circumstances and impacts of the fire. The Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry Report was published in 2016 and stated that the community has experienced adverse health effects and may be affected for an indeterminate period into the future. The inquiry found that 11 premature deaths were attributed to

6675-499: The stock of the combined entity. The remaining 30% remained in the ownership of the existing International Power shareholders. The combination was completed on 3 February 2011 following approval by shareholders. In October 2010 MeyGen , a consortium of Morgan Stanley , Atlantis Resources Corporation and International Power, received an operational lease from the Crown Estate for a 400MW tidal power project for 25 years in

6764-422: The subsurface beds. Topsoil and subsoil must be properly removed and either used to reclaim previously mined-out areas or stored for future reclamation. Excavator and truck overburden removal prepares the area for dragline overburden removal to expose the lignite beds. These are broken up using specially equipped tractors ( coal ripping ) and then loaded into bottom dump trucks using front loaders . Once

6853-409: The surface. These are inexpensive to extract using various forms of surface mining , though this can result in serious environmental damage. Regulations in the United States and other countries require that land that is surface mined must be restored to its original productivity once mining is complete. Strip mining of lignite in the United States begins with drilling to establish the extent of

6942-401: The tenacity and the appearance of ordinary wood, it can be seen that the combustible woody tissue has experienced a great modification. It is reducible to a fine powder by trituration , and if submitted to the action of a weak solution of potash , it yields a considerable quantity of humic acid . Leonardite is an oxidized form of lignite, which also contains high levels of humic acid. Jet

7031-477: The vulnerable groups of people in Morwell South to temporarily relocate due to the danger of PM2.5 particles. Power lines and connectors at the Morwell substation were washed for ash buildup to reduce the risk of short circuiting. Tim Flannery questioned whether GDF Suez was taking sufficient action to keep the community informed and said the fire highlighted the need for better preparation and inquiry into

7120-449: The world's highest-emitting plant being Australia's Hazelwood Power Station until its closure in March 2017. The operation of traditional brown-coal plants, particularly in combination with strip mining , is politically contentious due to environmental concerns. The German Democratic Republic relied extensively on lignite to become energy self-sufficient , and eventually obtained 70% of its energy requirements from lignite. Lignite

7209-496: Was also an important chemical industry feedstock via Bergius process or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in lieu of petroleum, which had to be imported for hard currency following a change in policy by the Soviet Union in the 1970s, which had previously delivered petroleum at below market rates. East German scientists even converted lignite into coke suitable for metallurgical uses ( high temperature lignite coke ) and much of

7298-428: Was earmarked for future coal supply. Environment Victoria , Greenpeace and Australian Conservation Foundation opposed the development approvals, while business groups such as Minerals Council of Australia, VECCI, Aust Industry Group and Institute of Public Affairs welcomed the government's decision. Hazelwood's coal supply would likely have run out around 2009 without the 2005 coal mine extension. This extension, and

7387-507: Was estimated to provide sufficient coal for the plant to operate to at least 2030 (prior to decommissioning plans). The EES also capped its expected total greenhouse output at 445 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over its life, after which Hazelwood may have been made to cease operation. Hazelwood was jointly owned by Engie with a 72% share and Mitsui & Co with a 28% share. In 2014, Hazelwood employed 495 staff directly and on average 300 contractors. On 3 November 2016, Engie announced that

7476-655: Was legislated in the Electricity Industry Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Act 2009 (Vic). The legislation has been welcomed by the power industry but criticised by green groups for supposedly criminalising non-violent civil disobedience, and has been compared to the lockdown powers of the Major Events Act 2009, which has been reportedly used to intimidate and disperse peaceful protesters in NSW. On 11 August 2005 approximately 50 student environmentalists and Greenpeace volunteers unfurled

7565-584: Was listed as the least carbon efficient power station in the OECD in a 2005 report by WWF Australia, making it one of the most polluting power stations in the world. At 1.56 tonnes of CO 2 for each megawatt hour of electricity, it was 50% more polluting than the average black coal power station in New South Wales or Queensland. Hazelwood emitted 14% of Victoria's annual greenhouse gas emissions and 3% of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. International Power plc purchased Hazelwood Power Station and

7654-412: Was lost. All seven were later charged by Victoria Police. A large mass civil disobedience rally, the largest of its kind at any Australian power station, was undertaken by a network of organisations under the banner Switch Off Hazelwood . On 13 September 2009, an estimated 500 people participated in near freezing conditions, with many camping nearby on the previous night on Hazelwood's own property beside

7743-531: Was near Morwell , 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Melbourne . Prior to January 2011, IPR-GDF SUEZ Hazelwood had been known as International Power Hazelwood and Hazelwood Power before that. After privatisation the new owners engaged in capital investment, with A$ 800 million invested in Hazelwood since 1996, such as replacement of boilers, rotors, turbines and the completion of an A$ 85 million project to reduce dust emissions by 80%. If Hazelwood had not been sold to private interests, activist groups say

7832-424: Was on the agenda; and petitioning the mine owner to pay its firefighting bill to the Country Fire Authority. It afterwards entered into a campaign to improve coal mine rehabilitation efforts in Victoria and to ensure that mine rehabilitation bonds cover the actual costs of rehabilitation. in 2015, it started a petition signed by thousands of Victorians to call on the French government to phase out Hazelwood. In May 2016

7921-484: Was shut down last at 4.56pm. It was chosen to be last because Unit 1 was the first Hazelwood generating unit to come into operation on 30 November 1964. Decommissioning of mine and power station plant and equipment was expected to take 12 months. In a press release on the subject of the closure, Engie in Australia's Chief Executive, Alex Keisser, acknowledged the contributions of past and present Hazelwood employees, and

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