Draft rehabilitation plan for Hazelwood mine
Community members will have a say on the rehabilitation of the former Hazelwood Mine and help shape the Latrobe Valley landscape in Victoria for decades to come.
Engie has prepared a draft Declared Mine Rehabilitation Plan (DMRP) for the site, which is now open for public consultation.
Engie says the final rehabilitation plans for the site have evolved over several decades and are primarily centred around creation of a full lake in the mine void.
A full lake and associated works would create geotechnically stable landforms that ensure the mine void remains safe, stable, and sustainable with reduced risk of fire, and protects the Morwell township and adjacent key infrastructure, according to Engie.
To enable filling of the mine void to a final (full lake) level, it is proposed to access water from extracted groundwater, surface water, rainfall runoff from across the site, Morwell main drain inflows and limited flood skimming from the Morwell River.
Construction and operation of infrastructure necessary to maintain lake depth and water quality following completion of fill would include Morwell River interconnection. This would allow limited inflows from high water and flood events in the Morwell River.
The infrastructure would not impact on the usual flows of the Morwell River, which remains in its current form, according to Engie.
Final reprofiling and coal capping works on the upper mine batters, that is above the shoreline of the future lake, with adequate stabilising vegetation and drainage, would also provide future safe public access to the lake and improve amenity for future uses of the site.
Final execution of rehabilitation and relinquishment of the Hazelwood site, as described in the DMRP, will occur in three primary phases.
The Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project is funded by Engie S.A., the majority owner, and Mitsui, which holds a 28% share of the site. As the owner and former operator of the mine, power station, and surrounding lands, Engie Hazelwood has a legal obligation to remediate and rehabilitate the site to a standard suitable for the agreed post mining land use.
The plan’s release for consultation is a major step towards formalising the company’s intentions for the site, which can then be assessed under the state’s resources, water and planning provisions.
The Latrobe Valley community is encouraged to review the proposed rehabilitation plan and have their say on how the restoration of the former Hazelwood mine site will be delivered. The public exhibition period is open for 60 days.
Engie is also preparing an environmental effects statement (EES) on its proposed rehabilitation plans for Hazelwood mine. A decision on the DMRP will not be made until the EES process is completed and any recommendations are addressed as part of the final submission.
Ensuring the Latrobe Valley’s coal mines are made safe and stable for the long term is critical to Gippsland’s prosperity and the state’ transition away from fossil fuels.