Kean confirmed exemptions granted to Delta during the purchase including a cap of $10m on rehabilitation likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars would remain in place despite the sale. In an application to the EPA, the power stations owners had requested a further five-year license exemption which allowed for the emission of more than 800mg per cubic metre of nitrogen oxide (NOx) per day. Transitioning the Hunter and Central Coast from a fossil fuels manufacturing base to one of renewable generation is underway. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. the practices of Delta Electricity, past and present that are driving a range of water pollution impacts in Lake Macquarie, the sale of the power station to Se.ven Global Investments, Closure planning, decontamination and rehabilitation. The sale, which was handled by RBC Capital Markets, takes Mr St Baker out of coal power at a sizeable profit on paper. Vales Point Power Station Submission Guide - Nature Conservation That, environment groups say, has given new urgency for the NSW Environment Protection Authority to clarify the legality of a pollution exemption provided to the plant late last year. The EPA has the chance to take a good look at this before issuing the new owners with a licence to pollute, she said. It leaves the Morrison governments UNGI program has still having supported no new generation investments, despite being first announced in October 2018, and announcing a dozen shortlisted projects more than two years ago. The EPA also stipulated that Delta must investigate, mitigate and report on the causes of NOx emissions when the 1320-megawatt generator operates at less than half its capacity. Sold for a song in 2015, the site is expected to be the subject of a new coal-fired power station proposal. Leading Edge Energy is an energy brokerage firm in Australia that specialises in energy cost reduction, solar and storage procurement, electricity and natural gas-use monitoring and reporting for commercial and industrial clients. The only way to educate irresponsible people is to hit them in the pocket, Central Coast Council will amend planning controls to make way for a five-storey development on six consolidated parcels of land at 43-46 The Esplanade, Ettalong Beach, despite receiving 95 submissions, Parking at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals will be free for patients, staff and visitors if either the Labor party or the sitting Liberal-National parties are elected to Govern on March, Copyright Coast Community News 2022 - Phone 4325 7369, Free hospital parking says Labor, Libs and Nats post election, Umina Beach singer eliminated from Australian Idol, Mariners appoint A-League Womens head coach Emily Husband, Council amends planning controls to make way for five-storey development at Ettalong, Labor puts people with disability at core of its agenda, Councils development application blowout woes, Council set to sell commuter/shopper carparks at Woy Woy, on "Eraring closure has no impact on future of Vales Point", Little being done to protect health of northern residents, Council slated for misleading statements over boarding house, Major parties outline plans to take the region into the future, Detached houses decline in favour of multi-unit abodes, Government funding for new cabins at two holiday parks, Review of health care services at Long Jetty centre, The go-to guide for community services across the Coast, Special exhibition brightens hospital corridors. Mr St Bakers proposal for a singleNSW plant and two new power stations in Victorias Latrobe Valleywas slammed by environment and community groups, who said the high-efficiency, low-emission plants were only one-third less polluting than highly polluting old power stations on the proposed sites. "We predict that gas power station output will fall by 78 per cent and coal output . In January 2019 St Baker told The Australian that he would submit a proposal to Australia's Minister for Energy, Angus Taylor, for government support from the Underwriting New Generation Investments program for three projects including a new A$2 billion 660 MW black coal plant in NSW's Hunter Valley at the Vales Point A power station site or at AGL's Liddell power station.The report claimed "St Baker has lined up a Chinese joint-venture partner" but did not name the company. The Vales Point Power Plant is currently set for closure in 2029, but the EPA ruling delivered on 28 October 2022 could bring that date forward to 2025. Delta flagged early closure of Vales Point coal plant when it rejected federal grant | RenewEconomy 1 year ago Kim Grierson 1 year ago 1 year ago Apparently NSW retained the decommissioning liabilities Andy Saunders 1 year ago Prices that make it profitable? These four units were known as 'A' Station, its capacity of 875 MW being the highest in New South Wales at the time. Delta Flagged Early Closure of Vales Point Coal Plant When I To learn more, read our Privacy Policy. Vales Point 'A' Station was decommissioned in 1989. Subsequently, St Baker stated that the shortlisted project was for 20 MW upgrades of the two existing turbines at the Vales Point B plant. Future Sooner is a community action group working towards a clean energy future for the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie. Im more interested now in what we are doing in electrifying the transport sector, absolutely critical steps forward in the rollout of charging infrastructure, he told The Australian Financial Review. AGL Energy announced it would move the. The project was moved to Vales Point Power Station in 2012, after Munmorah closed. The Vales Point coal-fired power station near the shores of Lake Macquarie, in NSW. The Liddel power station in the NSW Hunter is already set to close in 2023, but the report said at least one more closure in the state is likely before 2025. Please correct the marked field(s) below. Vales Point Power Plant given two years to cut emissions NSW coal region councils join forces for huge renewable energy mandate, Japans pivot to renewables will kick Australian exports right in the thermals. The power stations end of technical life is set for 2029. We know that the emissions meet the National Environment Protection Measures for NOx, but weve got the environment groups position. The WHO annual guideline for NOx of 10 ug/m3 (4.87 ppb) is regularly breached at monitoring sites close to the Vales Point power station. No need to search elsewhere for all the latest updates on the electricity market and energy-efficiency tips that are important for you, the savvy business owner. When there are renewable energy alternatives available, like the Star of the South project, that will generate clean energy and create local jobs, there is no excuse for building more, big polluting coal projects that pollute our air and make our communities sick, Ms Rivers said. Australia is positioning itself to tap the potential boom in hydrogen fuel, if its adopted globally as a replacement for petroleum. Delta said it did not make financial sense to proceed with the upgrade with the smaller grant amount, given ongoing uncertainty in the energy market and the looming closure of the power station, currently slated for 2029. Vales Point was originally equipped with three turbo-alternators of 200 MW supplied by the English Electric (unit nos. Owners of Vales Point power station turn down $8.7 million grant, blaming the Morrison government for taking too long to approve funds for turbine upgrades. Contents 1 Location 2 Background on Plant 3 Carbon capture project 4 Environmental Impact 4.1 Air pollution 4.2 Coal ash dam 5 Future shutdown date 6 Interest in buying Liddell coal plant It has previously been reported that the EPA briefed the states environment minister, James Griffin, over concerns about the exemption, as well as seeking approval to pay a senior barrister for advice on the legality of the exemption. Delta chief executive Greg Everett said the proposed deal, which has yet to be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board, was a positive development for Delta and its stakeholders. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [citation needed], In November 2015, the Government of New South Wales sold Delta Electricity, which at that time owned only the Vales Point Power Station, to Sunset Power International for $1 million. In order to supply coal to the station, three mines were opened; Chain Valley Colliery, Newvale No.1 Colliery and Wyee State Mine. Description. NSW is facing a potential shortage of reliable power as coal power stations shut down, with the closure of AGL Energy's Liddell plant in the Hunter Valley in April 2023 set to be followed. Access unlimited content, the digital versions of our print editions - Today's Paper, as well as the Newcastle Herald app. The black coal operators run at a much higher short-run marginal cost and so those nearing the end of their technical lives may be re-evaluating their closure dates, Mr Allen said. The generation table uses eljmkt nemlog to obtain generation values for each year. NOx emissions can harm peoples health, contribute to respiratory illnesses and can cause asthma in children and the elderly. In 2022, an air pollution exemption granted to Vales Point power station by the NSW EPA was successfully challenged by environment and legal groups, who argued that community health impacts of toxic air emissions - including childhood asthma and premature deaths were - being ignored, pointing out that Vales Point routinely breach NSW air protection laws. Environmental Justice Australia solicitor Jocelyn McGarity said there were serious concerns the licence conditions were unlawful and that the plant should not be allowed to operate beyond 2029. Vales Point was commissioned in 1978, and its two turbines generate 1,320 megawatts of electricity, accounting for 11 percent of NSW's energy. Alinta Energys Hong Kong-based owner Chow Tai Fook Enterprises is understood to have fielded approaches for the Australian business, which includes the large Loy Yang B coal power generator in Victoria. 49 Vales Point Power Station Premium High Res Photos Mr St Baker said he was looking for international investors after Australian banks and major lenders ruled out exposure to coal project funding, in part because of climate change stranded asset risks. Two investors have bought one of NSW's largest coal-fired power stations for the price of a nice suburban house. (NB only name and email is required to sign the petition - contact details are optional), You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it. Stop the Sale of Vales Point Power Station and Close It Down Future: Part of the Vales Point power station on the Central Coast. Delta Electricity and Mr St Bakers Energy Innovation Fund did not respond to calls for comment. . September 2022 Delta Electricity agreed to sell to Czech company, Sev.en Global Investments. Proponents of renewable energy and some business leaders haveraised concerns that financial supportfor hydrogen production powered by fossil fuels could artificially prolong the operation of the nations ageing fleet of coal-fired power stations, or create demand for gas which would be better directed to wind and solar projects. Vales Point power station - Global Energy Monitor 1 to 3) and one of 275 MW supplied by Associated Electrical Industries (unit no. Coal plants list deadlines when their operating life is set to cease, but Dr Mountain said Victoria has secured a valuable guarantee that Yallourn will be available to produce until 2028, and if the company brings forward closure the state will receive compensation. Delta confirmed that it had terminated contracts with relevant suppliers for the turbine upgrades. Eraring and Vales Point coal-fired power stations in the Hunter could We oppose this sale as it is NOT in the local, state or national interest: The EPA granted Delta an exemption to the licence, however, the exemption went hand in hand with an order to reduce daily levels. Only this week did the Federal Government flag that commercial interest in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) has been significant. Its members include residents and health professionals. Eraring is now scheduled for closure in 2025 and will leave Vales Point as the last electricity-generating station standing on Lake Macquarie, however, Vales Point is also scheduled for nominal closure in 2029. Delta also blamed ongoing regulatory and policy uncertainty, which it said, does not represent an appropriate investment environment.. Were working to restore it. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram. It listed Eraring, Vales Point and Mt Piper in NSW and Yallourn in Victoria as most vulnerable. NSW EPA Chief Tony Chappel said the exemption, coupled with the requirement to cut emissions strikes the right balance between safeguarding environmental health and supporting NSWs need for reliable and affordable energy. Officials from the department told Senate Estimates in March that they were aware that Shine Energy was likely to fail to deliver a bankable feasibility study into a proposed Collinsville coal fired power station after an audit undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office found the $4 million in grant funding awarded to the company was not enough to ensure the study could be completed. Phone: 02 4352 6111 On Tuesday the NSW energy minister, Matt Kean, declined to weigh in on whether the sale was appropriate, but said the government would remain vigilant over the plant operations. In our view, the risk of accelerating coal generation closures is increasing as the market makes room for the rapid addition of renewable generation.. Key points: Energy Australia will build a 350 megawatt, utility-scale battery in the Latrobe Valley by the end of 2026 The giant coal-fired Yallourn plant has been operating for 47 years The proposed plant would adjoin the existing 1320 MW Vales Point power station owned by Delta Electricity. Mr St Baker, who bought Vales Point power station from the NSW Government for a song in 2015 and made $113 million in profit on the deal in 2017-18, has outlined plans for a new plant at Liddell or Vales Point as part of a $6 billion proposal for three coal-fired power stations in NSW and Victoria. Custom Content. Read more:The power station offloaded by the NSW Government for $1 million suddenly has a future. The Cockle Creek power station was built by Caledonian Collieries Limited between 1925 and 1927 to use low grade coal to provide power to Caledonian Collieries mines and the surrounding townships in both the . Every time an old coal-fired power stations closes to be replaced by renewable energy, theres an immediate health benefit to communities within 100 kilometres of the facility, Dr Ewald said. NSW power station given shorter deadline on emissions Email: info@de.com.au, {"type":"HYBRID","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"600px","height":"500px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":16,"layers":[],"controls":["pan","zoom","type","scale","streetview","rotate"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":-33.161011600000002,"lon":151.5452521,"icon":""}]}. [5] The balloon loop opened in March 1980. Coal transport and infrastructure in Australia, Key developments in coal mining and power in Australia in 2012, Financing coal power stations in Australia, Underwriting New Generation Investments program, "Delivering affordable and reliable power", "Federal government shortlists upgrade of Vales Point power station turbine", https://www.gem.wiki/w/index.php?title=Vales_Point_A_power_station_(replacement)&oldid=241402, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Environment groups question whether ageing stations exemptions from some pollution standards are valid. 4), for a total of 875 MW. Managing director Greg Everett said the decision was not due to plans for an early closure, but rather the grant approval process and timing did not meet the companys own timeline for having works completed. Our Morning Edition newsletter is a curated guide to the most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Correspondence obtained through an earlier FOI request shows that Delta Electricity and the department undertook negotiations throughout 2020, ahead of funding being awarded in the federal budget. Vales Point power station, also referred to as the Vales Point B power station, is a 1,320-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in New South Wales, Australia. Before joining RenewEconomy, Michael worked in climate and energy policy for more than a decade. He dismissed the suggestion that Vales Point would close earlier than 2029, particularly given the impending closure of its near neighbour, Liddell Power Station, in 2023. At Delta, which supplies about 11 per cent of NSWs power, RBC is thought to have run a process to sell either 50 per cent or 100 per cent, with Mr St Baker originally keeping open an option to retain his stake. It is not what the community wants, because of climate change, and because of the environmental impacts of coal-fired power on our health. Vales Point Power Plant is owned by Delta Electricity, but in September the company announced that the plant is being sold to Czech family investment group Sev.En Global Investments. Energy Australia to close Yallourn power station early and build 350 On the international front the Morrison government has committed $70 million to help develop a regional hydrogen export hub, and Australia has signed agreements with Japan, Korea, Germany and Singapore to investigate hydrogen supply chains. Vales Point is located on the southern shore of the lake, near the township of Mannering Park. Coal supplies NSW with an average of 63 percent of its energy requirements, while the National Energy Market average is 59 percent. It was commissioned in 1978 and is located on the southern shore of Lake Macquarie. In public comments this week, the current owner of Vales Point, Trevor St Baker, indicated that Sev.en may seek to keep the station open beyond its current closure date of 2029, saying the company had shown a commitment to the sector and an ambition to expand, both in Australia and globally. The sale price was not included in the press statement released on Saturday, December 17. Health at GoPetition. Sep 18, 2022 - 3.16pm Energy entrepreneur Trevor St Baker and coal investor Brian Flannery will sell their Vales Point coal-fired power station in NSW for several hundred million dollars to. The transaction still needs to be completed, with approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board outstanding. It was a good letter from Anne Aldcroft (CCN380) regarding dog owners not doing their duty. Vales Point was commissioned in 1978, and its two turbines generate 1,320 megawatts of electricity, accounting for 11 percent of NSWs energy. The expectation has been that the power station would close in 2029 and the clean-up could begin., Vales Point on southern Lake Macquarie stayed in government hands until 2015, when the Coalition state government controversially sold it to energy entrepreneurs Trevor St Baker and Brian Flannery for $1 million., 167 Parry Street,Hamilton East, NSW, 2303, AboutCampaigningResearch & ReportsSubmissionsVolunteerHCEC NewsMedia ReleasesEventsContact UsCommittee Records, Barrington - Hawkesbury Climate Corridors Alliance, Water pollution Datawatch: NSW power stations. Vales Point is a coal-fired power station which supplies baseload electricity. This will benefit customers, employees and system security for all energyusers.. The combined capacity of 2195 MW made Vales Point the largest power station in Australia at the time. However. But Tom Allen, director of Australian energy and utilities research with UBS, said the markets focus would be on the long-term viability of black coal-fired generators in NSW, particularly amid the NSW governments plan to ramp up renewable energy investment, which will place prices under further pressure. While the Chinese government has signalled it will restrict coal lending, the country has yet to formally limit its investment in coal plants, the IEEFA report said. For more detailed local information see the Lake Macquarie Hunter Recreational Fishing Guide Back to top Delta Energys plans for Vales Point power station at Mannering Park will go unchanged despite the announcement by Origin Energy on February 17 that it will close Eraring Australias largest power station seven years early.