Eraring Coal Power Station Closure Delayed to 2029

In short: The country's biggest coal-fired power station in New South Wales will stay open for another two years. The Eraring plant was due to shut next year. What's next? It will now close in April 2029 to secure the state's energy supply through the transition to renewables. The planned closure of Australia's largest coal-fired power station will be delayed by two years, until 2029. Origin Energy's Eraring power station, on the shores of Lake Macquarie, south of Newcastle, was due to shut down in August 2027. There was growing pressure for that timeline to be extended after a warning from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) that the grid was not ready, raising the threat of widespread blackouts. In a statement on Tuesday, Origin said it had advised AEMO that it would extend the operation of the power plant until April 30, 2029 to "support energy supply in New South Wales through the energy transition". Origin's chief executive Frank Calabria said a "range of factors have been considered, including the needs of customers, market conditions and the important role the plant plays in the state's energy system". "Our decision to keep Eraring operating until April 2029 provides more time for renewables, storage and transmission projects to be delivered," he said. " Good progress is being made on the delivery of new energy infrastructure including major transmission works and projects like our large-scale battery at Eraring, but it has become clear Eraring Power Station will need to run for longer to support secure and stable power supply. " NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said in a statement that Origin's decision gave "certainty to workers, the market and energy consumers across the state". She said current energy security projections showed the state was expected to have "sufficient energy supply when Eraring closes in 2029, thanks to new renewable generation and storage coming online".