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The Coal Impacts Index is the most comprehensive list of breaches, breakdowns, and pollution events at Australia’s coal fired power stations ever assembled.
The Index uses a variety of data sources to track four main kinds of ‘incidents’ at the 16 coal power stations in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, that make up Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM).
Licence Breaches
Breakdowns
Toxic Air Pollution
Emissions
The NSW Environment Protection Authority alleges Bayswater Coal Power Station did not comply with a licence condition on 4 occasions, in reference to overboarding of seepage pond; leak from flyash transfer line; return water pipeline failure; and discharge of water due to pipe failure.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority alleges Mount Piper Coal Power Station did not comply with a licence condition, in reference to a technical non-compliance during a cooling water system restart, when cooling water leaked via an open valve into the station drain system & final holding pond.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority alleges Mount Piper Coal Power Station reported a technical non-compliance with a licence condition, in reference to the cooling water annubar pit overflowing, and cooling water entering the station drain system & final holding pond.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issues 2 penalty notices of $15,000 each to the owner of Bayswater Power Station. After a low pH reading was discovered in a creek on 24 November 2015, it was reported that approximately 6,000 litres of sulphuric acid had entered the stormwater system.
Stanwell states in their annual report that they identified and reported seven environmental compliance breaches to the regulator. The report notes that Stanwell also undertook a detailed review of compliance at Meandu and Tarong sites, linked to Tarong and Tarong North Power Stations.
The Victorian Environment Protection Authority alleges Loy Yang A did not comply with 2 licence conditions, in reference to fugitive dust discharging from coal mine attached to the power station.
AGL, Loy Yang A, VIC
The NSW Environment Protection Authority alleges Liddell Coal Power Station did not comply with a licence condition on 3 occasions including ash laden water overboarding into creek after pump fails; water leaking from pipeline into stormwater; and oil escaping from Turbine cooler.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority alleges Liddell Coal Power Station did not comply with a licence condition, in reference to ash laden water overboarding into creek after pump failed; and water leaking from pipeline into stormwater.
AGL Macquarie, operator of Bayswater Power Station, is fined $15,000 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), in relation to an alleged incident in April 2015. Around 50 – 100 litres of ammoniated water washed into a stormwater drain and into Tinkers Creek, exceeding the pH limit.
The Victorian Environment Protection Authority alleges Loy Yang A did not comply with 2 licence conditions, in reference to storm water released into Traralgon Creek exceeding suspended solids limit.
AGL, Loy Yang A, VIC
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The data in the Coal Impacts Index is collated from a number of sources, including government reports and tracking, corporate databases, research reports and self-reported data from power stations. For more information about the individual sources for each of the incidents listed in the index please see the Sources page.