The iconic twin chimneys of the Liddell coal-fired power station in New South Wales were demolished in a controlled explosion on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for the site that supplied electricity for over 50 years.
Energy giant AGL, which has owned the Hunter Valley station since 2014, orchestrated the demolition of the 170-metre stacks, which were brought down one after another using explosives. The power station was officially retired in April 2023 after more than 52 years of operation, at its peak powering around one million homes annually.
Chris Druery, Liddell station's closure manager, compared the demolition to felling a tree, explaining that explosives were used to blow a wedge out of the front of each stack, causing it to fall. The site will be redeveloped to host a 500-megawatt battery for energy storage, including from renewable sources.
The Nature Conservation Council NSW welcomed the demolition as evidence of a successful shift to clean energy. Chief executive Jacqui Mumford stated that the event shows a transition to reliable cleaner energy is already well underway.
NSW Premier Chris Minns acknowledged the station's historic role in powering the state and thanked its workers. The demolition comes amid scrutiny of NSW's continued reliance on coal, with a recent parliamentary inquiry highlighting inconsistencies between the government's coal industry approvals and its net-zero commitments.
