EnergyAustralia today thanked businesses for their proposals expressing interest in reusing the site of the Wallerawang power station to support new industry in Lithgow and the wider region.
EnergyAustralia Executive – Energy, Mark Collette, said the company was very pleased with the response to its call for proposals to redevelop the Wallerawang power station site, located 150kms west of Sydney. The formal process ran for six weeks, closing Monday 15 August.
“On behalf of EnergyAustralia I’d like to thank all the proponents which put forward compelling and considered proposals. We received 14 expressions of interest from local, national and international businesses, looking to breathe new life into the Wallerawang site,” Mr Collette said.
“It’s great that in all the expressions of interest the proponents sought to make use of the site’s existing infrastructure and inherent advantages. With heavy-lift crane facilities, a private railway connected to the main western railway and space for new buildings, we believe the site will provide businesses looking at cost-effective expansion opportunities with a range of options.
“We think the site can accommodate a range of potential new industries, and it’s clear from the responses we received that business sees some great potential, too.
“The aim of this process is to arrive at an outcome that’s good for the community, a new business proponent and EnergyAustralia. We have a long way to go but the keen interest in the EOI process is an encouraging start,” Mr Collette said.
EnergyAustralia will assess each proposal for its potential economic benefit for the region, logistical viability and compatibility with ongoing rehabilitation works. If a viable alternate use for the site is identified,
EnergyAustralia hopes to have an agreement in place by the end of the year.