Morwell River diversion for the expansion of the Yallourn mine

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{{#badges:CoalVictoria|Navbar-Victoriaandcoal}}In 1999 TruEnergy called for tenders for the diversion of the Morwell River to enable access to the new coal reserves in the Maryvale Field to enable the continued operation of the Yallourn Power station. The East Field, which had ben supplying coal to the power station since approximately 1990, was due to be depleted by 2007.

2012: Morwell River floods mine

On Tuesday June 5, 2012 heavy rainfall in the Gippsland region resulted in water from the adjoining Morwell River flooding into a tunnel housing a conveyor belt. The Latrobe Valley Express reported that "an exclusion zone was created around the leak site" and that "after initial inspections and ongoing monitoring of river and leakage levels, restricted mine operations resumed this afternoon."[1]

The following day TruEnergy reported that "in the early hours of this morning, the TRUenergy Yallourn coal mine experienced significant water leakage into one of the coal conveyor tunnels under the Morwell River diversion. This follows a period of heavy rain. The water is leaking into the open cut and has stopped operations on three conveyors that transport coal to the Yallourn Power Station." [2]

While TruEnergy initially described the problem with the river as "leakage" the following day TruEnergy described the problem as being the "collapse of a section of the Morwell River Diversion which allowed water into the mine." As a result of the water flooding in, all four conveyor belts were out of action and the company desperately sought to organise a fleet of trucks to carry coal to the power station. At the time of the flood one of the power stations four generating units was undergoing maintenance and, the company stated two were on 'standby' and one operating. On the Wednesday TruEnergy stated that the one operating unit was operating "at a reduced capacity".[3]

Articles and resources

References

  1. "Rain shuts down coal supply", Latrobe Valley Express, June 5, 2012.
  2. TruEnergy, "Water leakage reduces coal supplies at Yallourn mine", Media release, June 6, 2012.
  3. TruEnergy, "Update on Yallourn mine", Media Release, June 7, 2012.

Related SourceWatch articles

External resources

External articles

TruEenergy documents

TruEenergy media releases

Vic Government media release on the opening of the diversion

Media articles in 2005 on the opening of the river diversion

2012 Levee collapse