The funding was to be provided as an ad hoc grant under the Morrison governments Underwriting New Generation Investments (UNGI) program, meaning the funds could only be used for Delta Electricitys proposed upgrades. Brisbane-based energy consultant Trevor St Baker and coal baron Brian Flannery. Mr Taylor set a January 23 deadline for 24 hour baseload reliable projects eligible for government underwriting. AGL said it was still committed to its plans for Liddell. 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. 287 Elizabeth Street The role of Deltas Vales Point power station in two devastating fish kills that took place in mid-2002 in Wyee Bay are currently under investigation by the NSW EPA. On this basis, Delta respectfully and regrettably advises that it will not submit an application for UNGI grant for the proposed Vales Point power station efficiency upgrade project, Delta Electricity said. Analysts identified particular economic risk for Vales Point coal power near Newcastle, the same region where NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean will today announce a $70 million fund to grow a green hydrogen industry, which he said would bring jobs and growth to the region. Trevor St Baker's plans to keep burning coal at Vales Point beyond 2050 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. However, the company also flagged that it remained open to shifting the closure date of the Vales Point power station, which was dependent on the prevailing conditions in the energy market. The Toshiba 660 MW turbo-alternator became the standard in New South Wales, with similar units later being installed at Eraring, Bayswater and Mount Piper. We oppose this sale as it is NOT in the local, state or national interest: 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. The REZ will not only attract investment in clean energy, it will also underpin the growth of new low-carbon industries such as green hydrogen, ammonia and metals production which the world is going to need as it decarbonises, Mr Crouch said. List of coal-fired power stations in Australia - Wikipedia This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Its members include residents and health professionals. Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates, sold the 1,320-megawatt Vales Point power station, likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, seeking approval to pay a senior barrister. In a statement Mr St Baker highlighted the buyers commitment to growing the business. Read more:The power station offloaded by the NSW Government for $1 million suddenly has a future. In the context of the confluence of the above factors, Delta will not pursue the Vales Point power station efficiency project. Cockle Creek Power Station was located in Teralba, New South Wales, Australia on the banks of Cockle Creek. At a budget estimates hearing last month, Stephen Beaman, a senior regulator at the EPA, said the agency would be finalising its position very shortly on the legality of the exemption. Delta Coal which supplies Vales Point have an active proposal to continue mining largely exploited seams under the lake and ash dump until 2029 and community fears over worsening pollution impacts from this aging facility under this potential new ownership have been made public. Were working to restore it. The Vales Point coal power station was sold by the NSW government in 2015 for just $1 million. The Vales Point coal-fired power station near the shores of Lake Macquarie, in NSW.Credit:James Whelan. It is one of the chief causes of yellow-brown smog. Commercial interest has been registered in 24 solar energy projects; 13 onshore and seven offshore wind energy projects; 35 large-scale batteries and eight pumped hydro projects. 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. 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. 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. Health at GoPetition. Vales Point was commissioned in 1978, and its two turbines generate 1,320 megawatts of electricity, accounting for 11 percent of NSW's energy. Significant places & items of interest in the, New South Wales Environment Protection Authority, "NSW government sells Vales Point power station for $1m", Australian Financial Review (Subscription Required), "Vales Point power station privatisation put before auditor-general", "Plunging energy prices sink Vales Point power station", "St Baker and Flannery cash in on Vales Point coal plant in sale to Czechs", "Vales Point Power Station emission exemption application open for public comment", "New Vales Point pollution controls don't go far enough for environment groups", "Environment & Heritage | POEO Licences, Application and Notice Detail", "Strict new operating limits for Vales Point Power Station from 1 January", Electricity Commission of New South Wales, EnergyAustralia (state government enterprise), Sydney County Council (Sydney Electricity), List of power stations in New South Wales, Newcastle and Suburban Co-operative Society, Walsh Island Dockyard & Engineering Works, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vales_Point_Power_Station&oldid=1112958126, Coal-fired power stations in New South Wales, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Thermal power station articles using Infobox power station, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, New England County Council (New England Electricity), North West County Council (North West Electricity), Northern Riverina County Council (Northern Riverina Electricity), Northern Rivers County Council (Northern Rivers Electricity), Peel-Cunningham County Council (PCCC Electricity), Shortland County Council (Shortland Electricity), Southern Mitchell County Council (Southern Mitchell Electricity), Southern Riverina County Council (Southern Riverina Electricity), Southern Tablelands County Council (Southern Tablelands Electricity), This page was last edited on 29 September 2022, at 00:23. The Lake Macquarie community and the Lake itself has long suffered as a result of pollution from the Vales Point power station. Sev.en has reputation for keeping old and polluting power stations open longer than their use-by date and has indicated the same for Vales Point. . To disable your cookies, please click on Settings. The power stations end of technical life is set for 2029. By 2050, green hydrogen has the potential to drive $350 billion in investment across Australia in current dollars and up to $26 billion per year in additional GDP, supporting the emergence of new decarbonised industries such as green steel and ammonia.. Please correct the marked field(s) below. It is acidic, has an unpleasant odour and is highly corrosive. "Hundreds of thousands of people living near Australia's largest power station do not know what they are breathing," the report states. As owners for the last eight years, Esprey and St Baker Family Trust have positioned the business to continue essential operations through the energy transition, but recognise that there are opportunities to grow the business and that this can be better accomplished in a portfolio with Sev.ens other base-load capable generation interests, he said. 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. The NSW Government has responded to the closure of Eraring by saying that to ensure energy reliability, it will work with industry partners to install the Waratah Super Battery, a 700MW/1400MWh grid battery, by 2025 to release grid capacity so Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong consumers can access more energy from existing electricity generation.. . The sale, which was handled by RBC Capital Markets, takes Mr St Baker out of coal power at a sizeable profit on paper. 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 . Plunging energy prices sink Vales Point power station They would be Australias first high-efficiency, low emissions stations, Mr St Baker said. NSW has committed to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and the Hunter region is zoned for renewable energy development to help reach the goal. [3] The plan for a new 660-MW plant appears to be cancelled. [6], Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates this power station emits 9.32 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning hydrocarbon fuels.[7]. 1 to 3) and one of 275 MW supplied by Associated Electrical Industries (unit no. 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. Vales Point sale HCEC There are three methods to extract hydrogen. Newcastle GP andpublic health academic Dr Ben Ewaldsaiddata from existing Hunter and Central Coast power stations provided more evidence of the need to replace old coal-fired power stations with renewable energy. 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. air pollution exemption granted to Vales Point power station by the NSW EPA was successfully challenged by environment and legal groups. Vales Point Power Station Submission Guide - Nature Conservation In our view, the risk of accelerating coal generation closures is increasing as the market makes room for the rapid addition of renewable generation.. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Energy analysts said the renewables-led collapse in average prices across the nations electricity grid was so severe that the 1480-megawatt facility supplying up to 22 per cent of the states power could close even sooner than expected. Future: Part of the Vales Point power station on the Central Coast. 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. Vales Point Power Station will have its limits on nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions cut by up to 35% to meet new national air quality standards in the local community, and will have to adhere to strict new monitoring and reporting conditions from next year. It just staggers me that Australia is so far behind the rest of the world which is switching to renewables while were still talking about projects like this, Ms Wynn said. It has been announced that the ageing Vales Point coal-fired power station on the Central Coast, NSW is to be sold by the Australian Delta Energy to the Czech fossil fuel investment company Sev.en, owned by billionaire Pavel Tyka. 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. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Delta Flagged Early Closure of Vales Point Coal Plant When I Environment groups say an ageing coal-fired power station in New South Wales that sold for hundreds of millions of dollars may be operating in breach of the states clean air laws. Only this week did the Federal Government flag that commercial interest in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) has been significant. Vales Point coal-fired power station in NSW could be polluting in [5] The balloon loop opened in March 1980. We also request confirmation that Vales Point coal-fired power station will close in 2025 and will not receive another exemption licence. 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 NSW EPA noted that environment department modelling found that ground-level concentration of NOx in the community meets national health standards. Vales Point was originally equipped with three turbo-alternators of 200 MW supplied by the English Electric (unit nos. Australia is positioning itself to tap the potential boom in hydrogen fuel, if its adopted globally as a replacement for petroleum. NSW taxpayers might have to pay some remediation costs associated with the closure of Origin Energy's Eraring coal-fired power station when it shuts down in 2025. This page was last edited on 30 April 2021, at 11:25. [3], In September 2022 Sunset Power owners announced the sale of Vales Point Power Station to a Czech family investment group Sev.En Global Investments.[4]. Thermochemical reactions drive the other two methods. Future Sooner, local residents and health professionals are deeply concerned if this sale goes ahead it will extend the life of this filthy, old, polluting coal-fired power station and prolong the damage that is already affecting our health, said Gary Blaschke OAM, resident of Lake Munmorah, cancer sufferer and Future Sooner spokesperson. The study also criticized the absence of air pollution monitoring within 25 km of Eraring and the nearby Vales Point power station. [9][10][11], Vales Point Power Station was used as the location for the Midnight Oil US Forces music video.[12][13]. Future Sooner is a community action group working towards a clean energy future for the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie. These fossil fuel power stations burn coal to power steam turbines that generate some or all of the electricity they produce. Two years on from the sale, the facility was valued at $722M. Recent state government announcements in Queensland and Victoria look to cut coal generation out of the energy mix as soon as possible. For fossil fuel production to be clean carbon capture has to be tacked on to capture the emissions. Vales Point was commissioned in 1978, and its two turbines generate 1,320 megawatts of electricity, accounting for 11 percent of NSWs energy. Victoria's potential crunch comes with the 2028-29 closure of the Yallourn power plant in the. Mannering Park Progress Association spokesperson Sue Wynn said a new coal-fired power station at Vales Point was the worst news Mannering Park and surrounding areas could possibly hear. AGL Energy has also brought forward the closure of its 2220 MW Loy Yang A plant in Victoria to 2035. Coal supplies NSW with an average of 63 percent of its energy requirements, while the National Energy Market average is 59 percent. It is the second instance of the Morrison government failing to secure investment in new coal-fired generation infrastructure by offering insufficient funding support, following earlier revelations that the government had not provided sufficient grant funding to ensure proponents of a coal-fired power station in Queensland could complete a bankable feasibility study. For more detailed local information see the Lake Macquarie Hunter Recreational Fishing Guide Back to top Invoice Validation & Network Tariff Analysis. Find them all here. The EPA ruling has fuelled concerns that NSW may face an energy supply crunch in the coming years as coal swiftly exits the market. 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. However. 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. Qld to close coal-fired power station a decade early Feb 18, 2022 - 5.07pm. To learn more about how we use information collected with cookies, please read our Privacy Policy. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. Goldman Sachs said Vales Point, backed by energy mogul Trevor St Baker, was facing closure potential. The Morrison governments low emissions investment road map is technology neutral which meanspublic funding is availableto green and blue hydrogen. Sev.en has shown a clear interest in energy businesses in Australia, ensuring that it is well-placed to provide reliable generation through the energy transition, he said. In its home market, it runs two coal power generators and two combined heat and power plants. Delta Electricity turns down $8.7 million grant for Vales Point The sale price was not included in the press statement released on Saturday, December 17. The Nature Conservation Council of NSW said that, unlike previous exemptions, this one cannot be extended beyond October 2027. The announcement today by Original doesnt change Vales Points position, said the spokesperson. We continue to invest in the reliability of Vales Point to its notional closure in 2029. 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. NOx emissions can harm peoples health, contribute to respiratory illnesses and can cause asthma in children and the elderly. The Vales Point power station has been operating on the shores of Lake Macquarie since the 1960's and was constructed before NSW environmental protection laws came into effect. 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. NSW power station given shorter deadline on emissions 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. Vales Point Power Station is one of two operating coal fired power stations on the shores of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. 15 December 2021. We care about the protection of your data. September 2022 Delta Electricity agreed to sell to Czech company, Sev.en Global Investments. . Vales Point Power Station sale completed December 18, 2022 by Merilyn Vale Sev.en Global Investments has announced it has completed its acquisition of Delta Electricity Pty Ltd, the parent company of the Vales Point Power Station and the Chain Valley Colliery.