Environment

EPA Licence

AGL Loy Yang is situated in the Latrobe Valley, approximately 165 kilometres east of Melbourne. AGL Loy Yang holds an Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Operating Licence (OL000011149) for the operation of the Loy Yang A Power Station and the adjacent Loy Yang brown coal mine. The EPA OL000011149 contains detailed conditions regulating environmental impacts from Loy Yang A Power Station and the Mine. It specifies limits on the allowable discharges to the air and water environment, along with strict environmental monitoring and reporting requirements.

AGL Loy Yang’s EPA Operating Licence (PDF).

Details of the EPA Licence are as follows:

• Licence Number: 000011149
• Licensee: AGL Loy Yang Pty Ltd
• Premises Address: Bartons Lane, Traralgon VIC 3844

Further information is available via the EPA Portal.

Map of the AGL Loy Yang site.

AGL Mining Licence

AGL Loy Yang holds Mining Licence 5189 in the Loy Yang Coal Field, to the southeast of Traralgon, Victoria. 
 
The open cut operations of the AGL Loy Yang mine are covered by this licence. The Loy Yang A and B power stations are located on an area excluded from the licence. 
 
The AGL Loy Yang Partnership currently owns the mine, which provides coal to the 2200 MW Loy Yang A Power Station (owned by the AGL Loy Yang Partnership) and the 1050 MW Loy Yang B Power Station (owned by Alinta) and other minor customers. The power stations currently fed by the Loy Yang Mine provide approximately 50% of the total coal-fired electricity generated in Victoria. 
 
The mine operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is currently approximately 200m deep, 4.5km long and 2.5km at its widest point.

In 2018 the Victorian Government granted an extension to the Loy Yang mining licence to 2065.

The extension provides certainty for employees and time to properly rehabilitate the site following closure of the Loy Yang A power station no later than 2048.

In applying for the licence AGL made commitments to the Victorian Government that it will:

• Continue to invest in the Loy Yang A power station and mine;
• Provide five years notice of closure of Loy Yang A
• Market Commission will include in its planned rule change to require three years notice of closure;
• Continue to work with the Latrobe Valley community and Loy Yang workforce to build the foundations for new opportunities and diversify the economy in the transition towards a carbon constrained future; and
• Support the transition of the AGL Loy Yang workforce to new opportunities prior to and following closure.

Work Plan Variation

Between August and November 2016 extensive community consultation was conducted on the Work Plan Variation which covers areas including community engagement, environmental impacts, fire risk, rehabilitation, operations and transition to closure.

The Work Plan Variation combines a Risk Assessment Management Plan with the Work Plan. All feedback from consultation was carefully considered and some of that was worked into the revised Work Plan Variation.

The most common theme emerging from this consultation related to rehabilitation and the end use concept of the site.

The Draft Work Plan Variation was submitted to the Department in December. The Work Plan Variation can be viewed here (file in excess of 80MB), and feedback can be passed on via the details at the bottom of this page.

AGL Retention Licence RL2015

The former Victorian Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (now the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources) notified AGL Loy Yang on 6 January 2014 that it has been granted priority over the Retention Licence RL2015 covering the Flynn area.

AGL Loy Yang is in a strong position to cater for new coal development opportunities, given its natural advantages in terms of location, flexibility to expand and the extent of works undertaken throughout the life of the mine to date to position itself for future growth. To enable this growth to occur, AGL Loy Yang needs to maintain access to the existing coal resources from within the current Mining Licence Area (MIN 5189) and the area previously held under an Exploration Licence.

AGL Loy Yang has submitted an application to convert the existing Exploration Licence, which abuts to the east of Mining Licence MIN 5189 into a Retention Licence (RL2015).

Download the application area for RL2015.

Retention Licence Work Program

AGL Loy Yang (previously called Loy Yang Power Management Pty Ltd) was granted EL4683 on 14 December 2005 and since that time has worked in accordance with the agreed work plans.

AGL Loy Yang proposes to undertake the following program of work under RL2015:

• Further exploration work
• Resource delineation and coal testing
• Hydrogeological investigation
• Hydrological studies
• Geotechnical investigation
• Project discussions, negotiation and feasibility studies

As a major power generator and mine, AGL Loy Yang recognises it has a significant responsibility to manage the environmental impacts of its operation.

AGL Loy Yang conducts its business in a way that reduces, as far as practicable, the environmental impact of its operation.

AGL Loy Yang pursues efficiency improvements across its business and works in cooperation with numerous organisations, government departments and industry partners to reduce its carbon footprint.

An Environment Review Committee, including community and regulator representatives, meets quarterly to evaluate AGL Loy Yang’s environmental performance.