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 are 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] The Liddell Power Station is the latest major 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total: 231377
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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
| 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 |
| 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] | 0.9 [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
| 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 [20] | 1050 | 10,132,776 [6] | 1.14 [6] | 2 | lignite | conveyors | open cut | fresh cooling tower | Chow Tai Fook, Alinta Energy [24] |
| Yallourn Power Station | 1975 [4] | 2028 [25] [26] | 1480 | 13,856,313 [6] | 1.34 [6] | 4 | lignite | conveyors | open cut | fresh cooling tower | EnergyAustralia |
Total (MW): 4,730
| 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 [27] | 340 | 1,848,693 [6] | 0.91 [6] | 1 | bituminous | conveyor | open cut | fresh | Synergy |
| Muja | 1981 [4] | (units 1–5 closed) | 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
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