The old Wallerawang power station site is buzzing with activity as the area is prepared for its next era of use.
Greenspot, a privately owned NSW company, purchased the 620-hectare site two years ago. Since then, there has been an enormous amount of activity on the site as it transitions away from a coal-fired power station with the potential to become a circular economy and sustainable energy hub for industrial businesses and a range of other uses.
Greenspot has almost completed the large-scale partial demolition of the former 1-Gigawatt coal-fired station. Strategic pieces of infrastructure have been retained to be repurposed into industrial facilities which will replace jobs lost when the power station closed in 2014.
Greenspot CEO Brett Hawkins said upwards of 95% of demolition waste will be recycled. “35,000t of an estimated 45,000t of ferrous scrap metal has already been processed on site and sent to NSW steel mills to be turned into new industrial products,” said Mr Hawkins.
“As a first step in our repurposing efforts, we have secured approval for a 500MW/1,000MWh grid-scale battery, which is one of the largest approved batteries in the world. We believe that Wallerawang and the Lithgow area can lead the way in identifying and maximising opportunities as the economy decarbonises.”
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said much of the existing infrastructure will be able to be repurposed. “This battery will connect directly to the NSW electricity grid and significantly contribute to reliable electricity supply to the State,” said Mr Toole. “Attracting major investment to the region like this will help to diversify and build resilience in the Lithgow economy which has traditionally relied and continues to rely heavily on coal-based industry. Providing support to communities like Lithgow, through the Royalties for Rejuvenation Fund and other targeted programs, is a major strategic priority of the NSW Government as our economy transitions.”
