South Australia: The last coal train rolls into Port Augusta

The last train carrying brown coal from the Leigh Creek mine to the Northern power station in Port Augusta rolled into the town last week – less than a fortnight before the state’s last coal-fired generator is to be switched off for the last time.

The coal train was pictured here arriving at Stirling North pedestrian crossing, just north of Port Augusta last Wednesday. The power station owners, Alinta, held an event to mark the occasion. It was attended by long-term coal plant employees, and proponents for a new solar tower and storage facility north of the city.

Port Augusta mayor Sam Johnson told the meeting that the town had enjoyed a rich history in coal-generation, but was now preparing for a new energy transition. He said renewables offered the hope for new jobs as the old coal plants are closed.

South Australia is expected to reach 50 per cent renewable energy generation by the end of the year – the highest penetration of “variable” renewables such as wind and solar in the world for a significant-sized grid.

The transition is expected to be the centre of fierce debate over the future of the energy system. The Australian Energy Market Operator has said there should be no issues for the grid and the withdrawal of the coal fired power station will not reduce reliability. The coal generator is due to be switched off next Monday.

One company is proposing to use new technology to “gasify” the brown coal resource at Leigh Creek and use it for a large base load gas plant. Underground coal gasification has been banned in Queensland, but the South Australian government does not plan to follow that example.