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High rainfall in Gippsland has impacted the Yallourn mine recovery and coaling operations. The Yallourn Power Station has now reduced its generation back to one unit.
TRUenergy has advised the Australian Energy Market Operator that it expects generation to be restricted to one of its four units while recovery works continue. Based on advice from AEMO this is not expected to affect supply reliability.
A section of the Morwell River Diversion at the mine collapsed on 6 June 2012, damaging the main conveyor system. One of the main conveyors was reinstated earlier this week, allowing the power station to generate electricity from two of its four units.
With increased water flows as a result of recent rain the conveyor has been taken off line until water levels reduce. Work is underway to reinstate a second conveyor and this is expected to be completed by mid-July. Internal coal trucking operations are expected to resume over the weekend to supplement existing coal stocks.
To manage the Morwell River flows the response teams at the mine created a channel to allow the water to run into an unused part of the mine. Depending on additional river flows as a result of current rainfall water may also be redirected temporarily into the East Field mine which will reduce coaling activities.
Work is underway to put in a pump and piping system capable of handling normal Morwell River flows through the MRD, but this will not be completed until end of July.
Pumping of river water from the mine into the Latrobe River will continue under EPA supervision.