AGL confirms Hunter Valley’s Liddell power station to close in 2022
AUSTRALIA’S third largest power station at Liddell in NSW will close in 2022 despite pleas from the Turnbull Government to extend the life of the ageing plant.
NSW
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AUSTRALIA’S third largest power station at Liddell in NSW will close in 2022 despite pleas from the Turnbull Government to extend the life of the ageing plant.
Energy Giant AGL today confirmed the long-slated closure date in 2022 claiming it would cost almost $1 billion to keep the Hunter Valley power station running until 2027.
In September Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asked AGL to look at options to keep the plant operating or to sell it in an effort to avoid power shortages.
In a statement, AGL said it can close the plant and still meet the energy shortfall with a mixture of new, cleaner technology.
The neighbouring coal-fired plant at Bayswater will also be expanded and AGL is exploring plans for a pumped hydro project in the Hunter region with the NSW Government.
“Decisions for the investments are staged to enable flexibility to respond to the changing needs of the market and improvements in technology over the next five years,” AGL chairman Graeme Hunt said.
AGL said it considered selling Liddell following Mr Turnbull’s request but decided to repurpose the facility and focus on gas, wind and solar.
AGL first announced plans to close the plant in 2015 providing seven years notice.
More to come