Anglesea Power Station

In about 1955, test bores for coal were made at Anglesea by Roche Brothers, who were then operating a coal mine at nearby Wensleydale, where the reserves were dwindling. An extensive coal deposit was found two kilometres to the north of the Anglesea township, and mining commenced in 1959 to supply brown coal to industry and institutions in the Geelong area.

The mining rights were taken over by Western Mining Corporation (WMC) in 1961 to supply the power station planned by Alcoa of Australia. The Mines (Aluminum Agreement) Act of 1961 granted Alcoa a 50{{endash}}year exclusive right to explore and mine over some {{convert|7350|ha}} of leasehold land in the region.{{cite web|url=http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/Publications/Typological-studies/Mining.aspx |page=Page 45 |title=Anglesea Brown Coal Mine |work=Coal Mining Heritage Study |author=Vines, Jack |year=2008 |publisher=heritage.vic.gov.au |accessdate=7 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018070702/http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/Publications/Typological-studies/Mining.aspx |archivedate=18 October 2009 }} After further drilling investigation, WMC relocated the mining operation to the east of the original mine, closer to the power station site and providing access to a larger coal reserve of {{convert|50|e6LT|t}}. The total thickness of the coal seams is about {{convert|140|m}}, with total economic mineable reserves estimated at {{convert|70|e6LT|t}} in the upper seam, and a further {{convert|90|e6LT|t}} in lower seams. In 1992, the overburden to coal ratio averaged around 2.5 to 1, with an average coal thickness of {{convert|27|m}}.

Following negotiation with the Victorian government in 2011, Alcoa took up a 50-year extension of the Agreement under the Mines (Aluminium Agreement) Act 1961, allowing for continued operation of the mine and power station until 2016.Soames, Nicholas, 25 October 2011, [http://www.surfcoastnews.com.au/2011/10/25/alcoa-anglesea-mine-agreement-extended-for-another-50-years/ Alcoa Anglesea Mine Agreement Extended For Another 50 Years] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903202924/http://www.surfcoastnews.com.au/2011/10/25/alcoa-anglesea-mine-agreement-extended-for-another-50-years/ |date=3 September 2014 }} Surf Coast News, Retrieved 28 August 2014 Alcoa outlined plans to expand the footprint of the mine by approximately 50 percent, taking the total disturbed area from approximately {{convert|400|to|600|ha}}, from about 2016.Baker, Richard, 21 March 2011 [http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/alcoa-mine-could-take-heritage-heathland-20110320-1c2bl.html Alcoa mine could take heritage heathland] The Age, Retrieved 28 August 2014

{{As of|2005}}, approximately {{convert|35|e6t|e6LT}} of coal had been mined, with about {{convert|1.1|e6t|e6LT}} of brown coal being extracted annually to feed the power station that consumed {{convert|144|t}} of pulverised brown coal an hour. The coal at Anglesea has a high quality heat value when compared to other brown coals used to produce electricity in Victoria, but has a much higher level of sulphur, at around 3%, resulting in high levels of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) being emitted.{{cite web |url=http://www.aluminalimited.com/case-studies/ |title=Victoria - Sulphur dioxide reduction at AWAC |publisher=aluminalimited.com |accessdate=7 March 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214134244/http://www.aluminalimited.com/case-studies/ |archivedate=14 February 2010 |url-status=dead }} Carbon Monitoring for Action estimated that the power station emitted {{convert|1.21|e6t|e6LT}} of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning the coal.{{cite web| url=http://carma.org/plant/detail/1560| title=Anglesea| publisher=Carbon Monitoring for Action| accessdate=23 November 2008}} The Anglesea power station drew its cooling water from six sub-artesian well bores, supplemented with rainwater.

With the closure of the Point Henry Aluminium smelter, Alcoa applied for and was granted a licence in May 2014 by the Victorian Essential Services Commission to sell electricity to the national electricity market. In February 2014, an Alcoa spokesperson said that it was seeking sale options for the power station, which might be closed if a sale was not possible. In May 2015, Alcoa announced that it was unable to find a buyer for the plant, and would close it and the associated coal mine in August 2015. Closure occurred as planned on 31 August 2015.

File:Panorama-anglesea-open-cut-coal-mine-power-station.jpg

Since 2011, Alcoa and the Anglesea power station had come under increasing local criticism, with residents forming the Surf Coast Air Action group concerned with health impacts of air pollution from the mine and power station.ABC Radio National Breakfast, 5 July 2012, [http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/anglesea-residents-worried-about-alcoa-health-impacts/4111314 Anglesea residents worried about Alcoa health impacts] Australian Broadcasting Corporation Retrieved 28 August 2014 The group campaigned for reduced emissions from the power station and, following the closure of the Point Henry aluminium smelter, claimed that there was little justification for continuing the operation of the power station.{{cite news |last1=Arup |first1=Tom |last2=Donelly |first2=Beau |title=Call to clear the air on Anglesea power plant's future |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/call-to-clear-the-air-on-anglesea-power-plants-future-20140218-32yjy.html |accessdate=30 September 2019 |work=The Age |date=19 February 2014}}

Alcoa rejected claims it had exceeded targets, saying it had met its worldwide targets for reducing sulphur dioxide emissions, although it did not dispute that Anglesea's SO2 emissions actually went up from a base figure of {{convert|32899|t}} to {{convert|39000|t}} in 2012-13.Taylor, James, [http://issuu.com/surfcoasttimes/docs/sct-20140710/c/s8jaqmp Alcoa rejects claim of emission target failure], Surf Coast Times, Retrieved 28 August 2014Andrew Laird, 17 July 2014, [http://surfcoast.airaction.org/?p=463 Corporate spin breaks into a trot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914022451/http://surfcoast.airaction.org/?p=463 |date=14 September 2014 }}, Letter to Surf Coast Times reprinted by Surf Coast Air Action. Retrieved 28 August 2014

In a December 2013 submission to the Essential Services Commission, Friends of the Earth Australia argued that Alcoa should not be granted a licence to directly sell power to the National Electricity Market for four reasons: no additional coal-fired power was needed, Alcoa has no social licence to operate in the energy market, local health concerns, and that continuing operation of the power station undermined efforts to tackle climate change.Friends of the Earth [http://www.esc.vic.gov.au/getattachment/b5ed227e-9e07-4e74-8a50-57cff1dfbfcb/Alcoa-Submission-7.pdf submission] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312164814/http://www.esc.vic.gov.au/getattachment/b5ed227e-9e07-4e74-8a50-57cff1dfbfcb/Alcoa-Submission-7.pdf |date=12 March 2015 }} on Alcoa power station licence, Retrieved 28 August 2014

Alcoa's licence to supply electricity to the grid was approved, although community groups said the decision lacked transparency and legitimacy, because no community consultation had been conducted by the Essential Services Commission.John Conroy, 23 May 2014, [http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2014/5/23/science-environment/no-consultation-over-brown-coal-plant-licence 'No consultation' over brown coal plant licence], Business Spectator, Retrieved 28 August 2014

Two major protests in Anglesea occurred in 2014 regarding the future of the coal mine and power station. In July, over 500 people made up a human sign on the Anglesea beach saying "Shut it Down".{{cite news|author=Taylor, James|date=26 July 2014|url=http://surfcoast.airaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/humansign-article-in-surfcoasttimes1.jpg|title=Anglesea beach sign spells out mine message|work=Surf Coast Times|publisher=Surf Coast Air Action|accessdate=28 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905213050/http://surfcoast.airaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/humansign-article-in-surfcoasttimes1.jpg|archive-date=5 September 2014|url-status=dead}} On 10 August 2014, several hundred people attended a rally and march calling for the coal mine and power station to be closed.{{cite news|author=Whitelaw, Anna|date=10 August 2014|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/hundreds-rally-for-alcoa-coal-mine-closure-20140810-102jw2.html|title=Hundreds rally for Alcoa coal mine closure|work=The Age|accessdate=28 August 2014 }}

{{stack|{{Portal|Australia|energy}}}}

• List of power stations in Victoria
• State Electricity Commission of Victoria

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/alcoa_australia/location_overview/anglesea.asp Alcoa of Australia: Anglesea Power Station]

{{FormerVictorianPowerStation}}

Category:Coal-fired power stations in Victoria (state)

Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1969

Category:Former power stations in Australia