How people power stopped a new coal power station

Feature Story - 27 July, 2012

Greenpeace, Environment Victoria, Quit Coal and many others united to stop the last proposed coal-fired power station in Victoria. Here's how five years of campaigning resulted in HRL's dirty coal project finally being stopped in its tracks.

View the story "How the community got HRL's dirty coal grant cancelled" on StorifyHow the community got HRL's dirty coal grant cancelledGreenpeace, Environment Victoria, Quit Coal and many others united to stop the last proposed coal-fired power station in Victoria. Here's how five years of campaigning resulted in HRL's dirty coal project finally being stopped in it's tracks. Storified by Greenpeace Australia · Thu, Jul 26 2012 22:36:362007
HRL's proposed coal power station took off when it won a $100 million grant from the Howard Government in March 2007 and another $50 million from the Victorian Bracks Government.

The campaign to stop HRL began by challenging their use of the term "clean coal" to describe their project. Despite having technology to lower its carbon emissions, HRL's proposed coal plant would still be as dirty as a standard black coal power station. Greenpeace and the Australian Climate Justice Program lodged a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission against HRL's use of "clean coal" that would have challenged the validity of their public grants.
Watchdog sees red over claims - Business - Business - theage.com.auThe level of green marketing has risen dramatically over the past 18 months in response to consumer concern about global warming.Photo: S...2008
Our ACCC complaint was rejected, not because the term "clean coal" for their proposal was misleading, but because the term wasn't used in an act of trade or commerce, meaning it didn't breach the trade practices act.
Watchdog clears 'clean coal' tagIT IS mocked by some as an oxymoron, but can't be called dishonest - at least not in one noteworthy case in Victoria. According to the co...Even though we lost that battle, it didn't seem to do HRL much good as the project quickly went silent. We were later to learn that far from hurtling towards construction, HRL's project had stalled as they struggled to meet the milestones and conditions attached to their funding. Below is one of many examples where HRL had to ask the federal government for an extension to their grant condition deadlines.
2009 - 10
HRL's project remained quiet in 2009 and we were later to learn that their Chinese equity partner - Harbin Power Equipment Company - had withdrawn from the project, taking their 50% stake with them.

A year went by before HRL suddenly re-emerged in August 2010, now as a larger 600 Megawatt project and applied to the Victorian EPA for works approval. With Prime Minister Julia Gillard having made a clear commitment to ban new dirty coal-fired power stations before the election, both the Federal and Victorian Governments drew criticism for allowing HRL's proposal to continue. Proposed coal plant under firePoll: Should Premier John Brumby intervene to block the new proposed coal-fired power station at Morwell? Total votes: 1314. Would you li...Nearly 4000 submissions - a record - were recieved by the EPA as they assessed HRL's application for works approval, all but a handful opposing the project. Many of our supporters made submissions and made sure HRL's application was highly controversial.
EPA Victoria - Public submissionsSummary of submissions EPA Victoria has received approximately 4000 submissions in relation to the HRL Dual Gas Proposal. The central the...2011 - February
While members of the public raised their voices in opposition to HRL's proposal, the company's works application was delayed as HRL had failed to properly address key design issues.
Power plant plan stalls over designA PROPOSAL for a new coal-fuelled power plant for the Latrobe Valley has stalled as the company behind the plan fails to answer Environme...2011 - April
As the Grassroots Climate Action Summit met in Melbourne, Quit Coal activists protested HRL's dirty coal project by locking themselves in to the Commonwealth Government offices in Melbourne
stars!Stop HRLHeated AngertenProtesters chained outside Baillieu's officePolice have surrounded a group of people, including a school teacher, who have chained themselves inside the foyer of the Premier's offic...Front imageStop HRLLater in April a Greenepace investigation reveals how HRL's project, originally estimated at $750 million, has skyrocketed to $1.18 billion in cost. As the news breaks, ANZ, who were originally part of the HRL deal, rule themselves out of the project.
Morwell power plant costs soarTHE cost of a taxpayer-backed plan for Victoria's first coal-fuelled power plant in nearly 20 years has blown out by more than 50 per cen...Quit Coal make it clear that they will continue to take direct action and risk arrest for the sake of stopping HRL.
Stop HRL PledgeQuit Coal2011 - May
Despite overwhelming public opposition, on 20 May the Victorian EPA approves HRL's works application. But there's a twist: HRL can only build the power station at half the size they wanted...
New coal-fired power plant approved - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)Posted May 20, 2011 14:34:00 The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a new coal-fired power plant in eastern Victoria. The H...Environment Victoria respond to the EPA decision with the threat of legal action to halt the project...
Legal action talk over power stationEnvironment Victoria is considering legal action over the approval of a new brown coal and gas power plant for Victoria that will emit 30...... while after Greenpeace's research outed ANZ as formerly invovled in HRL's proejct, the other three of the"Big Four" banks all move to distance themselves from it, suggesting that HRL might have legal approval, but not necessarily the money they need to go ahead... Big banks 'no' to coal plantAUSTRALIA'S four major banks have rejected funding a coal-fuelled power plant proposed for Victoria, raising doubts about its viability d...... and Julien from Greenpeace immediately starts to point out that approval at half-size might being as many headaches to HRL as it does benefits.
A pyrrhic victory for brown coal | Climate SpectatorundefinedThe public response to HRL's EPA approval is as quick as it is powerful. Hundreds of Victorians turn out at Parliament House in Melbourne to protest the decision by the EPA to allow HRL partial works approval.stop HRL Snap RallyStop HRLat the protest, Greenpeace and Quit Coal's "Stop HRL" collective add colour to proceedings...
stop HRL Snap RallyStop HRLProtesters demonstrate against new power plant - ABC Melbourne - Australian Broadcasting CorporationBy state political reporter Alison Savage Updated May 24, 2011 15:44:00 Environmentalists say they will continue to protest against a new...2011 - June
Greenpeace research reveals that HRL's ability to use their "clean coal" technology is in jeopardy. They have the technology on license from the State, but the license is due to expire at the end of June. HRL would have to pay back the State $385 million or lose access to the technology.
http://afr.com/p/national/clean_coal_power_plant_countdown_jKLYgt96ra3tJLtvGCoORL
Environment Victoria's tough talk of a legal challenge proves true. Environment Victoria and Locals Into Victoria's Environment (L.I.V.E) lodge their legal challenge to HRL's EPA works approval. Environment groups lodge legal challenge to new HRL coal power plant | Environment VictoriaEnvironment groups lodge legal challenge to new HRL coal power plant Friday, 10 June 2011 Environment Victoria and City of Port Phillip-b...and have time to stop for a quick photo as they lodge their challenge...
NO NEW COAL - NO HRL DUAL GASEnvironment Victoria2011 - July
After HRL faced the prospect of paying $385 million for their coal technology or surrenduring it back to the State, it emerged that after their license expired, HRL were simply handed back the technology at minimnal cost, amounting to a subsidy worth nearly $400 million from the State of Victoria. Greenpace and Environment Victoria asked the Victorian Auditor General to examine the HRL technology deal.
http://afr.com/p/national/clean_coal_debt_deal_under_scrutiny_9n8gSYoS4szFyx6RL71fRP

With the Prime Minister announcing that an agreement had been reached to introduce a carbon price starting in July 2012, she recieves a reminder on national TV that she has a commitment to live up to on no new coal power stations: that means no HRL. (Skip to 45 min, 35 sec)
Julia Gillard on QandA: Pricing Carbonaustralianlabor2011 - September
Greenpeace commissions Newspoll to survey Victorians' attitudes to HRL's taxpayer-funded grant. Victorians overwhelmingly supported HRL's grant being used to support renewable energy instead.
PM given green light to cancel coal fundingFeature Story - 14 September, 2011 Prime Minister Gillard has been given a chance to stop a dirty coal project that would undermine all s...as the polling is released, Greens MP Adam Bandt announces a motion to do exactly what the polling suggests would be popular: redirect HRL's funding to renewable energy.
Axe Latrobe Valley power plant grant, say GreensGreens want a proposed power plant to lose a $100 million federal grant. A COAL and gas-fuelled power plant proposed for the Latrobe Vall...Greenpeace take a complex issue and boil it down to less than two minutes...
STOP HRLgreenpeaceaustralia2011 - October
After attending a community cabinet meeting in Brisbane, a Greenpeace activist recieves a letter from Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. Hand-signed, it confirms that HRL have a deadline of 31 December 2011 to meet all outstanding conditions to its grant. We have confirmation from the top!
undefinedundefinedthe letter makes news in Victoria...
Coal-fired plant faces funding threatPrime Minister Julia Gillard during a visit to the Latrobe Valley. Photo: AAP TIME is running out for energy company HRL to secure its $1...Late in October, the much-anticipated legal challenge to HRL's EPA works approval gets underway. Environment Victoria, L.I.V.E., Doctors for the Environmnet Australia and Mr Martin Shield take on HRL's right to build their new dirty coal-fired pwoer station, even at half size.
Rally held outside VCAT coal plant hearingAbout 70 protesters have rallied against the approval of a gas fired power station in Victoria's La Trobe Valley. The mines intended oper...As usual a crowd of HRL protesters gathers to make sure the "Stop HRL" message is heard loud and clear
NO NEW COAL - NO HRL DUAL GASEnvironment Victoria2011 - November
After pressure by Greenpeace and international orgnaisation BankTrack, seven international banks all rule themselves out of HRL's dirty coal project. Many of the banks are heavily invovled in energy investing in Australia, making this declaration, along with the Big Four Australian banks having earlier ruled themselves out of the project, a major blow to HRL's chances of finding funding.

http://afr.com/p/national/big_banks_cool_on_clean_coal_plant_EPayyfTQXArRljW8A0lsbL
HRL coal plant unlikely to get bank funding | News | Business SpectatorThe proposed HRL "clean coal" power plant in Victoria's Latrobe Valley is facing increasingly long odds of being developed after Australi...the total increases later in November to nine.

Quit Coal demonstrate the power of clean coal by scrubbing themselves "clean" in it out the front of the VCAT, where HRL's works approval is being challenged.
Getting down & dirty @ VCATQuit CoalIn late November, Greenpeace went to the scene of HRL's proposed dirty power station, laying out a massive 200 metre long banner calling on Prime Minister Gillard to keep her word and stop HRL's project from going ahead.
Breaking: Taking action on proposed coal siteFeature Story - 23 November, 2011 Greenpeace activists today laid out a massive 200 metre long banner - covering the site of a proposed n...2011 - December
Quit Coal activists take to the streets in Melbourne, drumming up support for a coal-free Christmas.
NO NEW COAL - NO HRL DUAL GASEnvironment Victoria2012 - January
After HRL failed to meet its end of year deadline, pressure mounted for their grant to be withdrawn...
Why We Shouldn't Bankroll Coal | newmatilda.comShould taxpayers finance a brown coal power station in Victoria? No, says Julien Vincent, and not just because it's dirty power. There ar...2012 - February
Victorians again came out in their hundreds to call on the Federal Government to cancel HRL's grant after the company missed its end of year grant condition deadline.
Stop HRL Rally, 1.2.12Quit CoalStop HRL Rally News Coverage 1.2.12Quit CoalStop HRL Rally Vic Parliament 1 February 2012lewinhillGreens Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt and Labor Member for Wills Kelvin Thompson joined the crowd (Kelvin is the one looking a bit "Men in Black"). Both MPs would be about to take the HRL campaign directly into Federal Parliament.
NO NEW COAL - NO HRL DUAL GASEnvironment VictoriaThe Financial Review reports on the 7th that HRL are struggling to stay financially afloat, depending on cash handouts from the carbon price to stay in business another year. Greenpeace slams HRL's dirty coal project as "corporate welfare gone mad".

http://www.afr.com/p/national/clean_coal_company_feels_the_heat_wDalgejVvCT4NlVOqbGoUP
On the 9th of February, Greenpeace and Environment Victoria delivered a petition built and signed by 12,667 Victorians to Parliament, calling for HRL's grant to be withdrawn and given to renewable energy instead.
NO NEW COAL - NO HRL DUAL GASEnvironment Victoria(UPDATE) 12,667 reasons to stop new coal powerUPDATE: When Prime Minister Gillard declared there would be no new dirty power stations built in Australia, could she have known what Ene...Less than 24 hours after our petition is tabled in Parliament and only a few days after a solar power project had its funding cut, Energy Minister Martin Ferguson announces that instead of cancelling HRL's invalid $100 million grant, they would be given a further 6 month extension to their deadline.
Within hours of the decision, protests broke out in Melbourne, with Quit Coal leading the way...
Stop HRL Decision Response 10.2.12Quit Coaland Greenpeace pointed out the double-standard set be cancelling solar's funding while giving coal another chance.
Double Standards For Solar And Coal | newmatilda.comThe rules have been bent to keep HRL's dirty coal plant in play - just as a major solar project lost federal funding. It's another sign t...2012 - March
At the end of the month, the verdict in the Victorian court challenge to HRL's legal approval was finally delivered. It was a major blow to the campaign, as the decision by the EPA to approve only half the proposed power station was overturned, meaning HRL now had full legal approval.
Energy company wins legal challenge - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)Updated March 30, 2012 07:05:31 A tribunal decision has revived a proposal for a new 600 megawatt coal-fired power station in Victoria's ...2012 - April
Documents revealed to Greenpeace through Freedom of Information show that even though HRL may now have full legal approval, the federal government still has major doubts over the project's ability to get finance.

http://afr.com/p/national/funding_doubt_on_clean_coal_power_OTmOlWIxCLcX3iMb4pxreJ
On the 16th, out of the blue, HRL's subsidiary company Dual Gas - who were running the power station project - make this statement...undefinedundefinedit means that even though they won their court case to build their full scale power plant, they can't build it until it's clear they will be replacing an equal amount of brown coal capacity coming offline. The uncertainty over when this might happen puts a big question mark over when the project can continue.
Power station project halted despite legal victory - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)Updated April 17, 2012 07:01:34 The company planning to build a new Latrobe Valley power station has stopped work on the project followin...2012 - May
Further evidence emerges that HRL were losing their grip on the $100 million federal funding in the Budget. Funds in the program designed to support HRL were deferred to later years, meaning that HRL wouldn't be seeing any taxpayer funds anytime soon.
2012 - June
As HRL's deadline approaches, hundreds again rally in Melbourne to demand the withdrawl of public funding to the project.
No New Coal Rally June 28 at Parliament HousesquirrelmainJulien Vincent on No New Coal & stopping HRL June 28, 2012takvera27 July - THE VICTORY ARRIVES!!!
The news comes through from Canberra that after years of hard work by environment orgnaisations, grassroots groups and the broader comunity, HRL's $100 million grant would finally be cancelled!
Government cans $100m grant for coal plantA Brown coal mine in the Latrobe Valley The federal government has canned a $100 million grant for a new proposed coal-fuelled power plan...and Greenpeace duly responsds...
Greenpeace delight at cancelled coal fundingPress release - 27 July, 2012 Friday, 27 July 2012: Greenpeace has reacted with delight at the cancellation of $100 million in public fun...