The iconic chimney stacks at AGL’s Liddell Power Station in New South Wales were demolished yesterday, with video footage recording the major milestone in Australia’s energy transition.
Retired in 2023 after 52 years of operation, Liddell Power Station’s iconic 169m-tall chimney stacks tumbled to the ground following a controlled explosion carried out by an expert demolition team.
The demolition involved highly controlled, precision-engineered blasting, with hundreds of individual charges placed into pre-drilled holes to carefully weaken the base of each chimney.
Related article: AGL begins commissioning for 500MW Liddell Battery in NSW
Explosives were used to remove a section at the base, allowing each stack to fall in a planned direction, with the event carried out as a single, tightly sequenced blast using millisecond delays to control how the structures collapsed.
AGL chief operations and construction officer Matthew Currie said, “Liddell Power Station has played an important role in Australia’s energy system. The demolition will pave the way for the continued transformation of the site. AGL’s vision is to transform the site into a Hunter Energy Hub that will support new jobs, regional growth and long-term economic development.
“We know that the Liddell Power Station holds deep significance for the local community, employees, and families who worked at or were connected to the site. The demolition was not just a technical event, but an opportunity to acknowledge its important legacy.”
As part of its strategy and Climate Transition Action Plan, AGL is transitioning its coal-fired power station sites into renewable energy hubs.
Related article: New research says 75% of Australia’s coal-fired power plants will retire by 2035
The company recently completed construction and began commissioning of the 500MW Liddell Battery, which will form part of the renewable energy hub at the Liddell site.
AGL also owns the neighbouring Bayswater Power Station, which is due to close in 2033.
