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EnergyAustralia, one of the country’s leading energy retailers, today said the rehabilitation of the decommissioned Wallerawang power station near Lithgow would enter a new phase with works to fill and seal two ash repositories at the site.
EnergyAustralia Head of New South Wales Malcolm Murphy said the repositories were used to store the ash by-product left from coal combustion in the generation of electricity. Now, the Kerosene Vale ash repository and Sawyers Swamp Creek ash dam would be covered by some 2.5 million cubic metres of soil as the area is stablised.
"There are a number of dates and major milestones in our project calendar that one by one are getting us closer to rehabilitating the former Wallerawang power station," Mr Murphy said. "The safe containment and stabilisation of two ash repositories is one of those significant steps as it brings us closer to beginning work to restore the area to bush land."
The project will initially require around ten truckloads of soil a day, increasing to at most 150 (300 back-and-forth movements in total). The plan to source soil from Sydney has been endorsed by the New South Wales Environment Protection Agency and independent assessors, Aurecon Group.
Filling the ash repositories will take approximately 18 months to two years.
EnergyAustralia’s application, lodged with the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, is open for public feedback: majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au
"The Wallerawang site is part of the region’s history and its rehabilitation means a great deal to people in the area. When these big moments come around it’s important everyone has an opportunity to have a say, so we can be sure we get an outcome that’s good for the community and the environment," Mr Murphy said.
For updates on the Mt Piper power station, rehabilitation works at Wallerawang and other EnergyAustralia activities, subscribe for news at: energyaustralia.com.au/wangnews
Community members are welcome to contact Mt Piper power station on 6354 8111.