Creating a safe, stable, sustainable future for the Hazelwood site
ENGIE Hazelwood is rehabilitating the former Hazelwood Mine and Power station to deliver a safe, stable, sustainable and non-polluting site that enables productive future uses.
The Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project involves final decommissioning activities, earthworks to reprofile steep slopes, reinstatement of water courses to a more natural alignment and the proposed creation of a pit lake.
The project will be assessed through an Environment Effect Statement (EES). Find out more about the EES, including key topics, timeline, consultation steps and the approach to environmental assessments.
ENGIE Hazelwood is engaging with communities and stakeholders on the development of the Declared Mine Rehabilitation Plan outlining steps to rehabilitate the land impacted by mining and potential future uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
ENGIE Hazelwood is rehabilitating the former Hazelwood Mine and Power Station to deliver a safe, stable, sustainable and non-polluting site that enables productive future uses.
The rehabilitation project involves final decommissioning activities, earthworks to reprofile steep slopes, reinstatement of water courses to a more natural alignment and the proposed creation of a pit lake to stabilise the large mine void and address the risk of fire from exposed coal.
As the owner and former operator of the Hazelwood Mine and Power Station and surrounding land, ENGIE Hazelwood has a legal obligation to remediate and rehabilitate the site.
We take our obligations seriously. We’re committed to creating a safe, stable and sustainable final landform which can support productive future uses and leave a positive legacy for the Latrobe Valley.
The Hazelwood mine void is very large, and close to the Morwell township and Princes Freeway. Long term safety and stability are extremely important considerations for the site’s rehabilitation.
There is no do-nothing option. If left unmanaged, the Hazelwood mine void could lead to issues including unsafe ground movements, fire in exposed coal, and collapse of mine walls.
A full pit lake is proposed as the best solution to rehabilitate the former mine because the weight of the water would push down on the floor and out on the walls of the mine, keeping the large mine void and surrounding land stable and effectively eliminating the risk of coal fire.
Watch this video or read the project fact sheet to learn more.
As part of planning and approvals, ENGIE is required to investigate and document alternatives to the proposed pit lake. Watch the project alternatives video to find out more.
Consideration of alternatives will include:
alternatives to a full pit lake
options for water sources
different timeframes to fill the pit lake
options with and without a connection to the Morwell River to use flood flows in times of high rainfall to top up the pit lake
A partial pit lake scenario is also being investigated.
Some alternatives that have been proposed like filling the mine void with rock and soil, using waste, using sea water or recycled water aren’t suitable.
Any rehabilitation solution needs to satisfy the requirements for geotechnical safety, provide enough weight balance on the floor and walls of the mine and manage fire risks.
A full pit lake is proposed as the most effective solution to deliver on project objectives of a safe, stable, sustainable and non-polluting site that enables productive future uses and contributes to a positive future for the Latrobe Valley.
Some of the water already in the mine void is flood flows from the Morwell River Flood Diversion, which operated temporarily under emergency approvals to take flood waters from the Morwell River to enable batter repairs at the downstream Yallourn Mine.
There is also water in the mine void from rainfall and water used for dust and fire suppression.
One of the other sources of water already in the mine is groundwater. Groundwater is still being removed from beneath the mine and is being discharged into the mine void through a controlled process.
An Environment Effect Statement (EES) is being prepared to comprehensively assess the projects potential environmental effects, including on water and ecosystems, cultural and historic heritage, ground movement and contamination, amenity, land use and community.
Watch the EES video with the project team explaining the EES process and the approach to key technical studies.
Catchments, rivers and wetlands in the Gippsland region are part of an interconnected riverine system. The EES will include an assessment of the project’s potential impacts on waterways within the site and beyond the mine into nearby catchments and waterbodies.
Read more in the Understanding and assessing water resources discussion paper.
