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.
A pit lake is proposed as the most effective solution to keep the mine void and surrounding areas stable and safe from risks of collapse and fire.
The project is being assessed through an Environment Effects Statement (EES). The EES and draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) are expected to be placed on exhibition for review and public submissions in the coming weeks.
Find out more about the EES, including key topics, timeline, environmental assessments and public exhibition.
ENGIE Hazelwood is engaging with communities and stakeholders on the development of the Declared Mine Rehabilitation Plan.
The Declared Mine Rehabilitation Plan outlines the steps that will be taken to rehabilitate the land impacted by mining and ensure the site meets all relevant requirements prior to licence relinquishment.
The Environment Effects Statement (EES) and draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) for the Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project are expected to be placed on exhibition for public review and submissions in the coming weeks.
The exact timing and duration of the EES exhibition period will be determined by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning (DTP). Public exhibition will occur for a period of 30 business days.
You will be able to view the EES on this website and at the Latrobe Valley GovHub in Morwell, TAFE Gippsland Traralgon campus, Sale Library, and State Library Victoria.
During the exhibition period, you will be able to make a written submission on the EES and the draft Planning Scheme Amendment.
We will promote the opportunity to view and make a submission on the EES during the exhibition period.
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 land uses.
The rehabilitation project involves final decommissioning activities, earthworks to reprofile steep slopes, reinstatement of Eel Hole Creek and the proposed creation of a pit lake to stabilise the large mine void and address the risk of fire from exposed coal. Watch this video to learn more about the major decommissioning, demolition and rehabilitation works at the site.
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, sustainable and non-polluting final landform which can support productive future land 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 Effects Statement (EES) has been prepared to comprehensively assess the project's 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 includes an assessment of the project’s potential impacts on waterways within the site and beyond the mine into nearby catchments and downstream waterbodies. This includes comparisons of connected and unconnected lake scenarios. Watch this video with the technical specialist explaining how they assess these impacts [
The EES will be placed on public exhibition in the coming months. During the exhibition period, you will be able to view all the EES documents, including the assessments of impacts to waterways and ecosystems.
ENGIE Hazelwood is seeking a range of Commonwealth and Victorian approvals to enable the project to proceed, including:
approval of the project as a “controlled action” under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)
approval of ENGIE Hazelwood’s Declared Mine Rehabilitation Plan
approval of a proposed Cultural Heritage Management Plan
a Planning Scheme Amendment for works outside the boundary of ENGIE Hazelwood’s mining licence
renewal of ENGIE Hazelwood’s licence to take and use groundwater from aquifers underneath the Hazelwood Mine
if the pit lake is connected to the Morwell River – one scenario that has been assessed – various approvals under the Water Act 1989 (Vic) will be needed to enable the construction and operation of inflow and outflow infrastructure, including the diversion of a portion of flood flows in the Morwell River into the Hazelwood Mine, in designated flood conditions.
Decisions on these approvals will only be made by following the conclusion of the EES process, once the Victorian Minister for Planning has issued a final assessment of the environmental effects of the project. Relevant individual decision-makers must consider the Minister’s assessment before deciding whether to grant these approvals.
Various other secondary approvals may also be required for the project, which ENGIE Hazelwood would seek once the primary approvals have been obtained.
