AGL has awarded Delta Group a demolition contract to transform its Liddell Power Station into a low-carbon industrial hub.
Following the first announcement of Liddell’s retirement in 2015, the entire closure of the Liddell Power Station will take place eight years later in April 2023, with one of four units already retired in April 2022.
AGL Chief Operating Officer Markus Brokhof said Liddell is being transformed into an integrated, low-carbon industrial energy hub that will assist the growth of the energy market and the local economy, it will be the first of AGL’s thermal generation facilities to undergo such transformation.
“After over 50 years of generating electricity for Australia, Liddell Power Station has reached the end of its operational life and will close in April 2023. We’re very pleased to announce that Delta Group has been awarded the contract for the demolition of the station,” Brokhof stated.
According to Brokhof, it’s a significant piece of work; Liddell Power Station has long been a vital part of the Upper Hunter region, and it’s also the site of many wonderful memories for hundreds of people who have worked there over the years.
Delta Group Executive General Manager Jason Simcocks stated that they are now looking forwards to implementing the project after collaborating on demolition plans.
“I am very excited that Delta Group has been awarded the demolition contract for such a landmark project. Our team-oriented collaborative approach during the planning phase has helped us to better understand AGL’s and its stakeholder needs, requirements, and expectations in relation to the closure process,” Simcocks said.
Simcocks added that the entire Delta Group team is dedicated to aiding AGL in completing a low-risk, safe, and environmentally sound project that will leave a positive legacy for the local and regional communities.
The demolition is scheduled to begin in early 2024 and last around two years. All principal structures (boilers, chimneys, turbine houses, coal plant) and ancillary buildings will be removed, and the site will be levelled using recovered crushed concrete.
During demolition, more than 90 per cent of the components in the power plant are projected to be recycled, including 70,000 tonnes of steel, which is more than the total weight of steel works for the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Critical infrastructure, such as transmission links, will be kept to facilitate the site’s continued usage as an industrial energy hub, assisting in providing jobs and critical economic activity for the region. A 500MW/2GWh grid-scale battery has already received planning permission.
The project will employ various demolition techniques, including controlled explosive felling, pull falling, and machine destruction.
