Progress updates
A history of the Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories
Asbestos cell delay a concern
Heritage Victoria demolition decision welcomed
Heritage Victoria’s decision to allow demolition and removal of the Morwell Power Station has been welcomed by Energy Brix Australia.
EBAC General Manager Remediation, Barry Dungey, said the decision provided the best outcome for all affected parties.
“It allows the ongoing development of the site by the site purchaser, Gippsland Infrastructure, to invest in the site with certainty and establish a new business within Latrobe Valley,” Mr Dungey said,
“This project offers full time and long term jobs, something that the Valley critically requires as it struggles to adjust to a range of recent business closures.
“It also allows us to remove the significant amounts of asbestos from within the Power Station structures, safely and under controlled conditions to ensure the site remains safe for the community of the Latrobe Valley in the future.”
Mr Dungey said the decision now ensured the briquette factories would be maintained as Gippsland Infrastructure intended restarting and using some of this equipment in their development.
“The use of best practice historical recording mechanisms and site interpretation plans to capture heritage information on the site so the history of the site won’t be lost to those who may seek it in the future,” he added.
“The final sale of the site to Gippsland Infrastructure once demolition and site clean-up is complete will also provide additional returns to HRL Limited creditors following HRL Limited being forced into administration and then liquidation in 2016.”
Ian Carson of PPB Advisory, Liquidator of Energy Brix, said he was pleased Energy Brix could work its way through the Heritage Victoria listing and permit process while ensuring high health, safety and environmental standards were maintained at the site.