Energy Australia, Australia’s leading electricity generation, gas and electricity retailing private company has announced to retire its coal-fired Yallourn plant by mid-2028 instead of 2032 – and build a 350MW capacity utility-scale battery.
The Yallourn power station located in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley produces a fifth of the state’s electricity or eight percent of the National Electricity Market and is one of the oldest power stations in Victoria.
“The energy transition is too important to leave to chance – a plan that supports people, the Latrobe Valley and locks in energy storage capacity before Yallourn retires will ensure the smoothest transition possible,” said Catherine Tanna, Managing Director, Energy Australia.
“Energy Australia is determined to demonstrate that coal-fired power can exit the market in a way that supports our people and ensures customers continue to receive reliable energy.”
The new battery will be Australia’s first four-hour utility-scale battery of 350MW capacity by 2026 in the Latrobe Valley – larger than any battery operating in the world today. This company intends this transition will help secure Victoria’s energy supply and enable more renewables to enter the system.
Energy Australia's broader objective is to go carbon neutral by 2050, Yallourn plant’s retirement will help reduce the CO2 emissions by over 60 percent (relative to current emissions) helping the company speed up its carbon-neutral ambition.
“Today is really Day 1 of a long-term plan that brings together many people across the energy sector to work together to deliver the clean energy transformation for all,” Tanna added.
- By Shraddha Kakade
Asst. Editor, Emerging Technology News.