The Daily Telegraph | Activists target ‘dirty’ coal plant

The Daily Telegraph | Activists target ‘dirty’ coal plant: “Activists target ‘dirty’ coal plant

By Kate Lahey

August 11, 2005

GREENPEACE activists have taken over a coal dredger at Hazelwood power plant in Victoria, labelling the station the dirtiest in the developed world.

Four activists chained themselves to the dredger while dozens more staged a protest outside International Power Hazelwood in south-east Victoria.

Those on the non-operational dredger draped a ‘first-place’ ribbon over it, saying Hazelwood had earned the title of ‘most polluting power station’.

Campaigner Mark Wakeham said Hazelwood’s expected greenhouse pollution in 2005 was 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

‘That’s steadily increased since 1995,’ he said.

‘Their emission intensity has also increased – that’s the amount of greenhouse pollution per megawatt of power.

‘It’s the worst of the large power stations in the industrialised world.’

Hazelwood spokesman Neil Lawson said the protest had not affected production at the plant, and the data used by Greenpeace was ‘selective and misleading’.

‘Green groups have been using incorrect figures for years,’ he said.

‘We have reduced our greenhouse emissions by 7 per cent since privatisation in 1996 … at the same time we’re trying to put together a plan for the next 25 years.’

Hazelwood had spent $400 million in recent years to improve efficiency, the company said.

Mr Wakeham said Hazelwood had become more efficient but had also increased production.

‘It might be getting slightly more efficient but it’s still the most inefficient,’ he said.

Police search and rescue workers removed the protesters about 2pm (AEST) today, after about seven hours.

No charges have been laid.

The protest was part of a Greenpeace ‘quit coal’ campaign.

Yesterday, Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, carrying a crew of 18, docked at Station Pier at Port Melbourne…”