New research has highlighted that coal power stations are routinely breaching their environmental protection licenses.
Australia Beyond Coal today released the Coal Impacts Index which tracks problems at 16 power stations in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria that make up Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM). The problems include environmental protection licence breaches, breakdowns, carbon emissions and the release of toxic substances.
Examples of licence breaches and penalties include:
- The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) alleges Bayswater Coal Power Station did not comply with a licence condition, in reference to an incident involving a diesel spill into Tinkers Creek.
- Delta Electricity, the owner of Vales Point Power Station, is fined $30,000 by the NSW EPA, following alleged breaches at Vales Point Power Station when contaminated material, including asbestos, was allegedly spread on the site.
- The Victorian EPA alleges Loy Yang A Coal Power Station did not comply with a licence condition, in reference to strong winds generating fugitive dust in their mine, which was blown off-site prompting eight community complaints.
The Index has been compiled using government data from the Clean Energy Regulator, the National Pollutant Inventory, Australian Energy Market Operator and the Environmental Protection Authorities in Victoria and New South Wales, the Department of Environment and Science in Queensland, and corporate annual reports from energy generators. More information on the Index’s sources can be found here.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO, David Ritter, said the Index sheds a light on the industry’s pollution and the performance of Australia’s coal power stations.
“Thanks to the Coal Impacts Index, all Australians will be able to get a full picture of how their health and environment is affected by coal pollution,” he said.
The Index outlines that:
- There have been 150 publicly reported environmental protection licence breaches at coal-fired power stations in NSW and VIC since 2015;
- 286 breakdowns since 2018; and
- Coal-fired power stations in the NEM are responsible for the release of 135 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
The Index will be updated when new information is made available and a Quarterly Index will be released with the latest findings from analysis of the data compiled in the Index.
