Port Augusta residents protest for further remediation of Northern Power Station, which continues to coat the town with dust

PORT Augusta residents will today slow traffic on National Highway 1 to a snail’s pace to protest for the urgent remediation of the now-defunct Northern Power Station.

PORT Augusta residents will today slow traffic on National Highway 1 to a snail’s pace to protest for the urgent remediation of the now-defunct Northern Power Station.

The Dustbusters community group at 1pm will lead a procession of cars from Stirling North, through town and across the Joy Baluch bridge, urging the state’s leaders to take action.

The protest comes a day after members of the group met with staff of Premier Jay Weatherill to demand further remediation of Flinders Power’s coal-fired power station.

The power plant was closed in May 2016 and has since blanketed the town with ash and dust during winds, causing breathing problems, asthma attacks and hospital trips for residents.

The state’s environmental watchdog, the Environment Protection Authority, last year conceded the large plumes of dust were affecting residents’ health.

Dustbusters spokeswoman Dr Amanda Bethell said the group would wait to see what remediation response, if any, the State Government offered Monday’s meeting.

Dustbuster spokeswoman Dr Amanda Bethell, who is also Australia's General Practitioner of the year 2017 and Port Augusta resident. Picture: Greenpeace

“The interesting thing is I returned to Port Augusta after the meeting (on Monday) to a massive dust cloud,” Dr Bethell said.

“If we don’t get a positive response (from the government) in next couple of days Greenpeace will increase their campaign pressure for us, and the government is aware of that.”

Greenpeace has advocated on behalf of the group for further remediation of the site, owned by Flinders Power - an offshoot of Alinta Energy.

Greenpeace last week released a report that used the Port Augusta power plant as an example of how to improve remediation of coal-fired power stations across Australia.

The report recommended federal and state energy ministers undertake a national audit to assess the costs of decommissioning and rehabilitating coal-fired power stations.

It stated bonds or financial assistance requirements should then be imposed on coal-fired power stations, so taxpayers do not foot the bill for future works.

Alternatively, a site remediation levy could be imposed on all Australian coal to generate funds to cover rehabilitation costs, the report said.

Flinders Power initially used aerial suppressants to control ash and dust from the site and has since capped the 273ha ash dam with a layer of soil and seeded it with plants.

“Flinders Power continues to progress works and meet all its obligations at the site in accordance with agreed comprehensive plans approved by the relevant regulatory authorities,” a company spokesman said.

“Dust continues to be managed in accordance with EPA approved Dust Management Plans which include a range of proactive and reactive measures.”

Residents and Greenpeace had raised concerns taxpayers would foot the bill for an future clean-ups of the coal-fired power station, once Flinders Power relinquished responsibility.

The EPA said Flinders Power would still have responsibilities under the Environment Protection Act to remediate the site, even after the company ceases to hold an EPA licence.

An example of the plumes of ash from the Northern Power Station at Port Augusta. Picture by Matt Turner