Munmorah Power Station

Munmorah Power Station owned by Delta Electricity is on the New South Wales Central Coast of New South Wales. The closure of Units 3 & 4 with a combined installed capacity of 600 megawatts (MW) was announced in July 2012.

Background
The station began operating in 1967 with full commissioning in 1969.

The power station initially comprised four 350 MW units with a total installed capacity of 1,400 MW. The units at Munmorah were downgraded to 300 MW capability in 1984 and Units 1&2 were decommissioned in 1996. Units 3&4 remained in service. In mid-2009 Delta Electricity proposed to upgrade the two ageing units to their original 350MW rated capacity and extend their life for a further 20 years.

Despite considering an upgrade for the 'intermediate' power station, a drop in demand forced the company to re-assess its plans. In August 2010 the power station was placed on a 'standby' basis but no power generated from it.

The permanent closure of the plant was announced in July 2012. The company stated that "decreasing energy demand in NSW has created an excess supply situation. Munmorah’s place in the market has been overtaken by newer and more efficient generators and alternative electricity sources. The station’s ageing infrastructure and high maintenance costs mean that it is not economically viable to operate. The carbon tax further erodes its viability."

November 27, 2008: Australian student activists blockade Munmorah coal-fired power station on the eve of international climate negotiations
On Thursday 27 November, four people from the Australian Student Environment Network entered the Munmorah Power Station on the NSW Central Coast, attaching themselves to conveyor belts carrying coal. Twenty people staged a protest outside the power station. Spokesperson Ann-Marie Rohlfs said, "We are facing a climate emergency, but our emissions are still rising. We call on the Rudd Government to ensure 2010 is the year Australia's greenhouse emissions peak and begin to rapidly decline. This blockade at the Munmorah Power Station is part of a huge community effort to kick Australia's coal habit. As the oldest power station in NSW, Munmorah Power station must be the first to go in the new green economy." Four people were arrested.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Australia and coal
 * Closed coal plants in Australia