As AGL Energy prepares to close the Liddell Power Station at the end of this month, the New South Wales Government has stated its priority is ensuring a stable energy supply for the state.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has forecast that New South Wales is secure in its power supply. The State Government said it is working with industry to ensure that the state’s electricity supply is stable and affordable for homes and businesses.
AGL Energy, state and federal governments, and the broader electricity industry have known about Liddell’s closure since 2015.
The Liddell Power Station has served New South Wales for more than 50 years but is closing later this month to make way for AGL Energy’s transition to a coal free company by 2035, refocusing on renewable energy generation.
New South Wales Minister for Energy, Climate Change, Environment and Heritage, Penny Sharpe, said, “I want to thank AGL and the Liddell workforce for the careful and orderly way that they have managed the transition and closure. AGL have demonstrated that industry is thinking about the future and moving towards renewables.”
The Liddell Power Station made around 1,260MW of energy generation available in 2022, a fraction of its rated capacity, due to its aging infrastructure.
The renewable projects constructed in New South Wales since mid-2019 can produce the same or more electricity each year – including around 2,060MW of large-scale solar and 840MW of wind.
In her statement, Ms Sharpe said New South Wales’ energy future will be mostly renewable power.
The Government said it is focused on ensuring that more projects are coming through the pipeline – coupled with transmission, firming, and large-scale batteries to maintain reliability of supply.
The Liddell Power Station has been part of the Hunter community for many generations and AGL Energy said it hopes that the site will have a bright future as an industrial energy hub.
