List of coal-fired power stations in Australia

Last updated

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]

Contents

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]

New South Wales

Power stationCommission yearScheduled 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] 2,64013,725,965 [6] 0.88 [6] 4bituminousconveyors, railopen cutfresh AGL
Eraring 1982 [4] 2027 [7] [a] 2,88014,914,916 [6] 0.87 [6] 4bituminousrail, truckundergroundsalt Origin
Mt Piper 1993 [4] 2040 [9] [10] 1,4006,841,302 [6] 0.87 [6] 2bituminousroad, conveyorundergroundfresh EnergyAustralia
Vales Point B 1978 [4] 2033 [11] 1,3207,015,626 [6] 0.86 [6] 2bituminousconveyorsundergroundsalt Delta

Total (MW): 8,240

Decommissioned stations

Power stationCommission 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] 20232,0000.94 [6] 4bituminousconveyors, railopen cutfresh
Munmorah 1969 [4] 20121,4001.16 [12] 4bituminous
Redbank 2001 [13] 2014 [13] 1511.4 [12] 1bituminous
Wallerawang A1957-1959 [14] 19861204bituminousfresh
Wallerawang B1961 [14] 19901202bituminousfresh
Wallerawang C1976-1980 [14] 201410001.05 [12] 2bituminousfresh
White Bay A1917-1925 [14] 195558.55bituminous
White Bay B1926-1928 [14] 1975864bituminous
White Bay C1951-1958 [14] 19831002bituminous
Pyrmont A1904-1924 [15] 1950s757bituminous
Pyrmont B1952-1955 [15] 19832004bituminous
Ultimo 1899-1951196379.511bituminous
Bunnerong A1926-193719751757bituminous
Bunnerong B1939-194719752004bituminous
Tallawarra A1954-1955 [16] 19891204bituminous
Tallawarra B1960 [16] 19892002bituminous
Balmain A1909-19351976419bituminous
Balmain B1940-1956197684.44bituminous

Queensland

Power stationCommission
year		Scheduled closure
year		Max. capacity
(MW)		CO2 emissions
(t CO2-e/year)		Emission intensity
(t CO2-e/MWh)		TurbinesCoal typeConveyanceMine typeCooling waterOwnerRefs
Callide B 1989 [4] 2028 [17] 7005,103,540 [6] 0.92 [6] 2bituminousconveyoropen cutfresh CS Energy, Intergen [18] [19]
Callide C 2001 [4] Not Announced [20] 8105,265,665 [6] 0.9 [6] 2bituminousconveyoropen cutfreshCS Energy, Intergen [18] [19]
Gladstone 1976 [4] 2035 [17] 1,6808,547,021 [6] 0.95 [6] 6bituminousrailopen cutseawater Rio Tinto, NRG [18]
Kogan Creek 2007 [4] 2042 [20] 7504,360,686 [6] 0.83 [6] 1bituminousconveyoropen cutdry cooledCS Energy [18]
Millmerran 2002 [4] 2051 [20] 8525,794,351 [6] 0.82 [6] 2bituminousconveyoropen cutdry cooledIntergen [21] [18]
Stanwell 1993 [4] 2046 [20] 1,4457,637,735 [6] 0.87 [6] 4bituminousrailopen cutfresh Stanwell [18]
Tarong 1984 [4] 2037 [20] 1,40010,473,950 [6] 0.86 [6] 4bituminousconveyoropen cutfreshStanwell [18] [22]
Tarong North 2002 [4] 2037 [20] 4431bituminousconveyoropen cutfreshStanwell [18]

Total (MW): 8,080

Victoria

Power stationCommission yearScheduled closure yearMax. capacity (MW)CO2 emissions (t CO2-e/year)Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)TurbinesCoal typeConveyanceMine typeCooling waterOwner
Loy Yang A 1984 [4] 2035 [23] 220020,107,115 [6] 1.17 [6] 4ligniteconveyorsopen cutfresh cooling towerAGL
Loy Yang B 1993 [4] 2047 [20] 105010,132,776 [6] 1.14 [6] 2ligniteconveyorsopen cutfresh cooling tower Chow Tai Fook, Alinta Energy [24]
Yallourn Power Station 1975 [4] 2028 [25] [26] 148013,856,313 [6] 1.34 [6] 4ligniteconveyorsopen cutfresh cooling towerEnergyAustralia

Total (MW): 4,730

Western Australia

Power stationCommission yearScheduled closure yearMax. capacity (MW)CO2 emissions (t CO2-e/year)Emission intensity (t CO2-e/MWh)TurbinesCoal typeConveyanceMine typeCooling waterOwner
Collie 1999 [4] 2027 [27] 3401,848,693 [6] 0.91 [6] 1bituminousconveyoropen cutfresh Synergy
Muja 1981 [4] (units 1–6 closed)

[28] [29]
2029 (Units 7 & 8) [27]

6543,982,663 [6] 0.9 [6] 4bituminousconveyoropen cutfreshSynergy
Bluewaters 2009 [4] –4162,966,541 [6] 0.88 [6] 2bituminousconveyoropen cutfresh Sumitomo Group, Kansai Electric

Total (MW): 1,410

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. [31]

Tasmania

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

See also

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]

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Daryl Passmore (26 March 2017). "Australia's coal-fired power stations too old and among worst in the OECD". The Courier Mail. News Corp. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  2. ↑ "No new coal-fired power plants will be built in Australia, says CS Energy". 7:30 Report. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 February 2017. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "Australia's oldest coal-fired station Liddell powers down in the Hunter Valley". ABC News. 27 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Electricity Markets and the role of coal fired power stations" (PDF). Retirement of coal power stations. Commonwealth of Australia. 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "AGL to close Loy Yang A, Bayswater coal plants sooner than expected". ABC News. 9 February 2022. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 "Electricity sector emissions and generation data 2017–18". www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  7. ↑ Rhiana Whitson; Michael Janda (16 February 2022). "Origin Energy to shut Australia's largest coal-fired power plant by 2025". ABC News. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  8. ↑ Parkinson, Giles (18 May 2021). "Origin to close first unit of Australia's biggest coal generator in 2030". RenewEconomy. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. ↑ Foley, Nick Toscano, Mike (23 September 2021). "EnergyAustralia to close NSW coal power plant early". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ Palmer, Benjamin (24 September 2021). "What to expect as Energy Australia pushes forward closure of Mt Piper as it aims to move out of coal by 2040". Lithgow Mercury. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  11. ↑ "Vales Point coal closure date pushed back four years in latest threat to renewables transition". RenewEconomy. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 "Hunter Valley group plans to re-open Australia's "dirtiest" coal generator". RenewEconomy. 22 March 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  13. 1 2 "REDBANK POWER STATION". Verdant Earth. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Owen Peake. "Thermal Power Station Heritage in Australia". Trust Advocate. National Trust of Australia (Victoria). Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  15. 1 2 McCulloch, Colin. "EVOLUTION OF PYRMONT POWER STATION" (PDF). Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  16. 1 2 "Huntley Colliery 1946 – 1989 | Illawarra Heritage Trail". 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  17. 1 2 "Qld to close coal-fired power station a decade early". Australian Financial Review. 6 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Coal-Fired Plants in Australia – QLD & SA". Gallery. Power Plants Around The World. 3 January 2014. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  19. 1 2 "Callide Power Station". Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Generating Unit Expected Closure Year". AEMO. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  21. ↑ "Millmerran". Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  22. ↑ "Tarong Coal Power Plant". Global Energy Observatory. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  23. ↑ "AGL will close Victoria's coal-fired power station Loy Yang A a decade early". the Guardian. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  24. ↑ "Loy Yang B Power Station | Power Generation – Alinta Energy".
  25. ↑ "EnergyAustralia to close Yallourn coal plant in 2028, to build massive big battery". RenewEconomy. 9 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "Battery power in, coal-fired power out as energy giant closes plant four years early". www.abc.net.au. 9 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  27. 1 2 Mercer, Daniel (13 June 2022). "Synergy coal power stations including Muja to close as WA Government prioritises renewable energy". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . p. 15. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  28. ↑ "Media statement – Muja Power Station in Collie to be scaled back from 2022". www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  29. ↑ "Muja C Unit 6 in reserve mode and online for summer 2024-25 | Western Australian Government". www.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  30. ↑ "Kwinana Power Station". Global Energy Monitor. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  31. ↑ "South Australia's Last Coal-Fired Power Station Demolished". The Urban Developer. 27 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
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