List of coal-fired power stations in Australia

These fossil fuel power stations burn coal to power steam turbines that generate some or all of the electricity they produce. Australia's fleet of coal-fired power stations is aging and many are due for decommissioning, and are being replaced by a combination of mostly renewable energy. In early 2017, 75% of the coal-fired power stations in the country were operating beyond their original design life. ^[1]

The declining cost of renewable energy sources, such as solar power, wind power and battery storage, means it is unlikely a new coal-fired power station will ever be built in Australia, ^[2] which would make the 2009-commissioned Bluewaters Power Station the last coal-fired power station to be constructed in Australia. The Liddell Power Station is the latest coal-fired power station to be decommissioned, which took place on 28 April 2023. ^[3]

Total projected maximum energy capacity (MW) from coal-fired power stations in Australia By Dec 31 of year, based on closure years listed below
22460 22260 22260 19380 17200 16406 16406 16406 16406 12446 12446 8566 8566 6723 6723 6723 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039	Total: 231377 New South Wales Queensland Victoria Western Australia

New South Wales

Power station	Commission year	Scheduled closure year	Max. capacity (MW)	CO2 emissions (t CO2-e/year)	Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)	Turbines	Coal type	Conveyance	Mine type	Cooling water	Owner
Bayswater	1982 [4]	2033 [5]	2,640	13,725,965 [6]	0.88 [6]	4	bituminous	conveyors, rail	open cut	fresh	AGL
Eraring	1982 [4]	2027 [7] [a]	2,880	14,914,916 [6]	0.87 [6]	4	bituminous	rail, truck	underground	salt	Origin
Mt Piper	1993 [4]	2040 [9] [10]	1,400	6,841,302 [6]	0.87 [6]	2	bituminous	road, conveyor	underground	fresh	EnergyAustralia
Vales Point B	1978 [4]	2033 [11]	1,320	7,015,626 [6]	0.86 [6]	2	bituminous	conveyors	underground	salt	Delta

Total (MW): 8,240

Decommissioned stations

Power station	Commission year(s)	Closure year	Max. capacity (MW)	Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)	Turbines	Coal type	Conveyance	Mine type	Cooling water	Former owner
Liddell	1971-1973 [4]	2023	2,000	0.94 [6]	4	bituminous	conveyors, rail	open cut	fresh
Munmorah	1969 [4]	2012	1,400	1.16 [12]	4	bituminous
Redbank	2001 [13]	2014 [13]	151	1.4 [12]	1	bituminous
Wallerawang A	1957-1959 [14]	1986	120		4	bituminous			fresh
Wallerawang B	1961 [14]	1990	120		2	bituminous			fresh
Wallerawang C	1976-1980 [14]	2014	1000	1.05 [12]	2	bituminous			fresh
White Bay A	1917-1925 [14]	1955	58.5		5	bituminous
White Bay B	1926-1928 [14]	1975	86		4	bituminous
White Bay C	1951-1958 [14]	1983	100		2	bituminous
Pyrmont A	1904-1924 [15]	1950s	75		7	bituminous
Pyrmont B	1952-1955 [15]	1983	200		4	bituminous
Ultimo	1899-1951	1963	79.5		11	bituminous
Bunnerong A	1926-1937	1975	175		7	bituminous
Bunnerong B	1939-1947	1975	200		4	bituminous
Tallawarra A	1954-1955 [16]	1989	120		4	bituminous
Tallawarra B	1960 [16]	1989	200		2	bituminous
Balmain A	1909-1935	1976	41		9	bituminous
Balmain B	1940-1956	1976	84.4		4	bituminous

Queensland

Power station	Commission year	Scheduled closure year	Max. capacity (MW)	CO2 emissions (t CO2-e/year)	Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)	Turbines	Coal type	Conveyance	Mine type	Cooling water	Owner	Refs
Callide B	1989 [4]	2028 [17]	700	5,103,540 [6]	0.92 [6]	2	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	CS Energy, Intergen	[18] [19]
Callide C	2001 [4]	Not Announced [20]	810	5,265,665 [6]	0.90 [6]	2	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	CS Energy, Intergen	[18] [19]
Gladstone	1976 [4]	2035 [17]	1,680	8,547,021 [6]	0.95 [6]	6	bituminous	rail	open cut	seawater	Rio Tinto, NRG	[18]
Kogan Creek	2007 [4]	2042 [20]	750	4,360,686 [6]	0.83 [6]	1	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	dry cooled	CS Energy	[18]
Millmerran	2002 [4]	2051 [20]	852	5,794,351 [6]	0.82 [6]	2	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	dry cooled	Intergen [21]	[18]
Stanwell	1993 [4]	2046 [20]	1,445	7,637,735 [6]	0.87 [6]	4	bituminous	rail	open cut	fresh	Stanwell	[18]
Tarong	1984 [4]	2037 [20]	1,400	10,473,950 [6]	0.86 [6]	4	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	Stanwell	[18] [22]
Tarong North	2002 [4]	2037 [20]	443			1	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	Stanwell	[18]

Total (MW): 8,080

Victoria

Power station	Commission year	Scheduled closure year	Max. capacity (MW)	CO2 emissions (t CO2-e/year)	Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)	Turbines	Coal type	Conveyance	Mine type	Cooling water	Owner
Loy Yang A	1984 [4]	2035 [23]	2200	20,107,115 [6]	1.17 [6]	4	lignite	conveyors	open cut	fresh cooling tower	AGL
Loy Yang B	1993 [4]	2047 [24] [b]	1050	10,132,776 [6]	1.14 [6]	2	lignite	conveyors	open cut	fresh cooling tower	Chow Tai Fook, Alinta Energy [26]
Yallourn Power Station	1975 [4]	2028 [27] [28]	1480	13,856,313 [6]	1.34 [6]	4	lignite	conveyors	open cut	fresh cooling tower	EnergyAustralia

Total (MW): 4,730

Western Australia

Power station	Commission year	Scheduled closure year	Max. capacity (MW)	CO2 emissions (t CO2-e/year)	Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)	Turbines	Coal type	Conveyance	Mine type	Cooling water	Owner
Collie	1999 [4]	2027 [29]	340	1,848,693 [6]	0.91 [6]	1	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	Synergy
Muja	1981 [4]	(units 1–6 closed) [30] [31] 2029 (Units 7 & 8) [29]	654	3,982,663 [6]	0.9 [6]	4	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	Synergy
Bluewaters	2009 [4]	–	416	2,966,541 [6]	0.88 [6]	2	bituminous	conveyor	open cut	fresh	Sumitomo Group, Kansai Electric

Total (MW): 1,410

• Kwinana A (240 MW) was shut down in 2010, and Kwinana C (400 MW) was shut down in 2015. ^[32]

Other states/territories

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Captial Territory does not use coal or oil to generate electricity. The Kingston Powerhouse was the last coal-fired power station in the territory, but was decommissioned in 1957.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory relies predominantly on natural gas, as well as various renewable energy sources. Likewise, it has no functioning coal-fired power stations.

South Australia

South Australia previously had a number of coal power stations. The last to be closed were the Northern and Playford B power stations. ^[33]

Tasmania

Tasmania has no functioning coal-fired power stations, instead using primarily hydroelectricity, with natural gas used as a backup.

See also

• Australia portal
• Energy portal

• 100% renewable energy
• Energy policy of Australia
• List of natural gas fired power stations in Australia

Notes

1. Prior to 2022, Unit 4 was scheduled to close in 2030, unit 1 scheduled to close in 2031, units 2 and 3 scheduled to close in 2032. ^[8]
2. The expected closure will be influenced by Victoria's legislated renewable energy target of 95% by 2035, as the target would not be reached if Loy Yang B continues to operate past 2035. ^[25]

Sources

• Boom and Bust 2021: Tracking The Global Coal Plant Pipeline (Report). Global Energy Monitor. 5 April 2021.

References

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