About the DMRP
The objective of the Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project is to deliver a safe, stable, sustainable, and nonpolluting landform on the site which previously included the Hazelwood Mine and the Hazelwood Power Station. The works program will take years to complete and is managed by ENGIE Hazelwood.
Works following closure of the mine and power station in April 2017 included decommissioning and planning and delivery of extensive demolition activities. With completion of the demolition program in 2022, the focus is on remediation and rehabilitation of the wider site, including the mine void and surrounding areas.
The Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project is funded by ENGIE S.A., the majority owner, and Mitsui, which holds a 28 percent 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.
More information
The purpose of the Declared Mine Rehabilitation Plan (DMRP) is to describe how closure is being planned, scientifically informed, and executed, in accordance with the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) (Mineral Industries) Amendment Regulations 2022. The DMRP outlines the steps that will be taken to rehabilitate the land impacted by mining and ensures the site meets all relevant requirements prior to the licence relinquishment.
The mine licence covers an area of 4,000 hectares – larger than the area of Traralgon – and has a number of key domains. As well as the mine void, which itself has a footprint of some 1,200 hectares, there are the Eastern Overburden Dump (EOD), former power station block, intermediate areas that were used as staging areas for conveyor and other systems, as well as large tracts of land that form the remainder of the site. The other large key area is the Hazelwood Cooling Pond, which sits outside the mine licence but was an integral part of the former power station operation.
Our vision for Hazelwood maximises the value of future land uses, to deliver real community and economic benefits for the Latrobe Valley.
This vision has been developed and refined over several years and is underpinned by a robust base of technical evidence. The vision has been informed by the work of the Latrobe City Council and State Government and supports the region’s transition to embracing new economic opportunities, while providing beneficial future land uses. The long-term aim is for a site that can leave a positive legacy for the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland region.
Once the necessary work has been completed to the satisfaction of regulatory bodies and Government, the owners will be in a position to relinquish the mine licence.
Key design features of the post mining landform aim to:
provide long-term passive geotechnical stability for the mine void and surrounds;
minimise the fire risk as low as reasonably practicable; and
provide opportunities for interconnection with adjacent waterways to provide regional flood mitigation capacity.
ENGIE Hazelwood’s final rehabilitation plans are centred around creation of a full lake in the mine void. The proposed final form is subject to an Environment Effects Statement (EES) which is currently underway.
The vision associated with a full lake is to have the mine surrounds characterised by dipping batters from the water’s edge to natural ground surface. Rock buttressing around the water line would be interspaced with areas of more gently sloping batters that allow public access. Beyond the mine batters, agricultural land would be interspersed with waterways and habitat corridors of native revegetation.
A visitor interpretive platform is planned adjacent the Morwell township and the Princes Freeway on the north side of the mine. Services have been maintained to the areas previously occupied by the power station, buildings and/or workshops for future industrial re-use.
While the DMRP represents ENGIE Hazelwood’s vision for the site and the preferred final landform, the outcomes of the EES may require changes to the DMRP at a later stage. The exhibition of the EES is expected in the coming months
The DMRP is also supported by a range of live operational plans relating to the management of risk, fire, and ground control during rehabilitation. Each of these plans will be updated over time as the site evolves.
Rehabilitation activities considered within this DMRP include the following proposed outcomes.
Filling of the mine void to a final (full lake) level of up to at least RL +45m AHD. It is proposed to access water from the following sources:
extracted groundwater consistent with licensing
surface water under an agreed commercial agreement, available only during times of when water supplies are plentiful
rainfall runoff from across the site
Morwell Main Drain inflows, and
limited flood skimming from Morwell River.
Construction and operation of infrastructure necessary to maintain lake depth following completion of fill is also proposed to include Morwell River interconnection. As noted, this would allow limited inflows from high water and flood events in the Morwell River.
A full lake and associated works would create geotechnically stable landforms that ensure the mine void remains safe and secure with no risk of fire, and protects the Morwell township and adjacent key infrastructure. 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.
The DMRP identifies work, notably beaching, to be undertaken with the expectation of future public recreation use in specified areas. However, it is assumed decisions and augmentation of such beaching areas will be installed and managed by others at a future date, with usage not a matter under ENGIE Hazelwood’s control.
While the Hazelwood Cooling Pond is not on the mine licence and as such is not included in the DMRP, ENGIE Hazelwood acknowledges the public interest in future plans for this area. It is proposed to drain the Hazelwood Cooling Pond, remove the existing dam walls and re-establish the alignment of Eel Hole Creek. This would include construction of low flow and high flow channels that manage the interface with Morwell River and Eel Hole Creek. The land currently covered by the pond would be available as agricultural or other use land.
Approved rehabilitation plans for EPA licenced facilities, including the Hazelwood Ash Retention Area (HARA) and Eastern Overburden Dump (EOD) would be implemented.
As works progress, decommissioning of remaining redundant infrastructure such as roads, car parks, buildings, and fire suppression system above RL +45m will take place. The section of the saline water outlet pipeline (SWOP) on the mine licence will also be decommissioned.
Site elements and future management
The possible long term uses and management of various areas within the current site are outlined in the DMRP, including some key areas:
Electricity network
As a result of being a major transmission hub with established connections into the electrical network, the site provides an opportunity for other future uses associated with power generation, storage and distribution.
ENGIE Australia and its joint venture partners have constructed and operate a 150MW battery, known as the Hazelwood Battery Energy Storage System (HBESS) on this site, with expansion planning underway.
The former power station site is another area that could house future power generation and/or storage systems.
Both the HBESS and the former power station site are not included in the current EES nor the DMRP as they have been excised from the mine license.
Public viewing area and visitor hub
A public viewing area is proposed for construction in the near term.
It would be located adjacent to Morwell township to give vehicle and bicycle access, and includes a carpark and visitor hub, a visitor journey track, viewing platform, native vegetation area and a link to a potential walking/bike track (connecting the Morwell Township).
Vehicle access is from the Strzelecki Highway via Drilling Depot Road.
Lake area
The lake area will be subject to requirements dealing with water availability, interconnections and access.
Access would be serviced by the road network, with the opportunity for the lake to be used by the community, fauna and adjoining pastoralists.
Further discussion is required regarding long term management plans following licence relinquishment.
Mine surrounds
Areas will be available within the mine surrounds for passive recreation such as walking and possibly bike riding, traversing pasture, native revegetation and waterways. These would be connected to the public viewing area for transportation and amenities, and possible link to existing and future bike paths.
Further discussion is required regarding long term management plans following licence relinquishment.
Grassed surrounding land
Surrounding areas, much of which is currently leased, would be revegetated if necessary to pasture for light grazing or public open space.
It is anticipated the land will be sold or leased to other interested parties, such as adjoining land owners.
Access, roads, buildings
Existing buildings and service infrastructure could be retained for repurposing.
Access roads will need to be rationalised while still providing access for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. The road network within the project area includes sealed and unsealed roads.
Some access roads may be retained post-relinquishment to enable access and for use in fire and other land management activities. However, redundant roads above the crest of the mine that have no specific post-relinquishment use may be removed, topsoiled and revegetated. Redundant car parks would also be decommissioned.
Conservation remnant vegetation
Patches of remnant vegetation throughout the site will be retained and enhanced with supplementary planting. Remnant vegetation may also be enhanced with habitat linkages.
This domain comprises all leased land within the licence area including all offsets and conservation areas. Isolated areas of the site have been leased or sold to third parties for infrastructure purposes and for grazing and agricultural activities, including as a bushfire fuel reduction measure.
Further discussion is required regarding long term management plans following licence relinquishment.
Morwell River Diversion and Morwell River Flood Diversion
To facilitate the ongoing expansion of the Hazelwood site in 2000, the Morwell River Diversion (MRD) was created to redirect water around the western boundary of the project area for a length of approximately seven kilometres.
In 2021, a temporary flood diversion structure known as the Morwell River Flood Diversion (MRFD) was constructed during a significant flooding event. The purpose of the MRFD was to capture flood flows above a base flow river level and divert this water into the mine void.
This water capture was undertaken independently to the EES as a result of the Victorian Government declaring an energy emergency associated with a potential structural breach of a levee at the Yallourn mine site. This allowed a portion of high-level flood flows to be diverted away from the impacted levee and enable emergency repair works to be undertaken. The repair works have since been completed and use of the MRFD has been suspended.
The MRFD includes an engineered structure to divert a portion of flood waters from the Morwell River. The proposed lake interconnection being assessed in the EES would also be via an engineered inlet and outlet structure that would be designed to take a portion flood flows from the Morwell River as top up water for the mine lake.
Ongoing monitoring
Ongoing site management activities will be required, including water management (collection, treatment, monitoring, reporting), environmental monitoring and hydrogeological and geotechnical monitoring and reporting.
Management of existing closed landfills, which will have restricted access will be required, including related audits and reporting to EPA Victoria under an existing EPA Licence.
Maintaining and operating infrastructure necessary to maintain safe and stable conditions (e.g. aquifer bores and pumps, the reticulated fire service system and supporting pumps) is another requirement.