Bayswater Power Station - Turbine Upgrade

Bayswater Power Station Objection.

I wish to object to the upgrade of Bayswater Power Station as
proposed.
Before detailing my reasons I wish to voice my concern that I did not
find out about the Bayswater upgrade in a reasonable time. This is
made my objection letter less complete than I would've liked it to
have been. I believe there needs to be a review of the methods used to
make the community aware project such as this.

I have been aware of Bayswater Power Station operation since it was
first built as I lived in the area and have been on the premises many
times.

Bayswater Power Station has always had a negative impact on the
community due to pollution and emissions from the power station. To my
knowledge there has been little upgrade of the emissions systems or
the inputs such as coal quality and the power station continues to
emit unreasonable levels of emissions and pollution. The plant also
causes problems from its water supply and the operation of the ash
dam.

From the reading I have been able to do about this proposal I can see
nothing in the proposal that will address the emissions and pollution
levels and bring them up to a standard that would be considered
adequate in 2018 and beyond.

The ageing power station has not addressed the issues that were
present when the power station was first built and subsequently. I
note that when it was built the station was built to a standard very
much lower would be considered acceptable today.

The operating license for Bayswater would seem to be following that
old standard and not a standard if were to be issued today. I cannot
see from the documentation that the update of the power station will
also lead to an update of the operating license for the total plant.

There are major issues at the power station Nitrouse Oxide and Sulphur
as well as small particle emissions. The bags in the stacks are simply
not good enough. These must be addressed however it seem this is not
in the proposal. The health and other guidelines for these materials
would seem to be constantly exceeded.

I believe the proposal to upgrade power stations turbines should be
rejected or as a minimum placed on hold until such time the power
station provides a report proposal that addresses the long-term
issues. The power station regulators certainly should not allow
further activity until such time as they are addressed.

I have no vested interest in the power station or its operation or
shareholding I am purely a concerned citizen.

Thank you for the opportunity of lodging on objection.

The HCEC objects to the development on the grounds that AGL should be
required to fit best-practice pollution control measures for SO2, NOx,
atmospheric mercury, particulate emissions, and coal combustion
residue management.

The Planning Assessment Commission should hold a public meeting to
ensure that residents of the Hunter Valley, interested and affected
stakeholders can determine the impacts of this project and provide
input to improve air and water quality mitigation measures of the
plant.

Sincerely,

Paul Winn
For the Hunter Community Environment Centre Inc.

I object to this development. Bayswater is the single largest source of
fine particle emissions (PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen and sulphur
dioxide in the Hunter Valley.

The owner of this facility is upgrading the power station, but not
improving their pollution controls, even though levels of these
pollutants regularly exceed recommended levels.

I urge the NSW Planning Department to do all it can to improve the
health of local residents.

A public meeting should be held to discuss these important health
issues and other implications of this planned development.

I am writing to register my objection to this project on the health and
environmental impacts it will have. The Bayswater power station is the
single largest source of fine particle emissions (PM2.5), oxides of
nitrogen and sulphur dioxide in the Hunter Valley. Under this proposed
project this would not be remedied.

These pollutants regularly breach health guidelines in the Valley, and
are linked to elevated incidence of asthma, stroke and pre-term
births. But their pollution also drifts a long way. NSW Health found
that power station air pollution causes 40 premature deaths each year
in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area.

Best practice technologies reduce toxic emissions of NOx and SO2 by
90% or more. Both of these technologies (flue gas desulfurisation and
selective catalytic reduction) are obligatory in other countries such
as the USA, the EU, China and India.

It is only fair and reasonable that AGL be required as a condition of
consent to upgrade the bayswater power station to run the plant as
efficiently as possible which requires world's best practice air
quality control measures.

I request that this project is not approved in its current form and
significantly upgrading the pollution controls in a minimal condition
of consent, it approval is given.

This is my objection to the Bayswater Power Station Turbine Efficiency
Upgrade

I object to the fact that this power station emits nitrous oxides and
sulphur dioxide which are both visual and air quality pollutants in
the Hunter Valley. Driving into the Hunter Valley from neighbouring
regions one can see the yellow band of pollution above the horizon.
There is no plan to improve this situation in the efficiency upgrade.

We are living in changing times and having a visual reminder of this
outdated merhod of producing power is embarrassing.

Please reconsider this upgrade to at least include an improvement to
the pollution emissions.

Ideally, our state should begin the transition to non polluting power
production. There are several renewable options that our state could
transition to.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit.
I object to this development as it currently stands.

If $200 million is to be spent on upgrading Bayswater power station,
there clearly needs to be an upgrade on air pollution controls.
Currently Bayswater power station contributes significantly to air
pollution in both the Hunter region and Sydney area. This air
pollution - including particulate matter, SO2 and NOx - is a
contributor to heart disease, lung disease, preterm birth/low birth
weight babies and some cancers.

Best practice pollution controls, such as those used in the USA, EU
and China, reduce SO2 and NOx pollution by around 90%. It should be
mandatory that best practice pollution control measures also be
implemented in Australian coal fired power stations.

There needs to be a public hearing into this development so that the
community is informed of the impacts of this project, and to ensure
that the development truly benefits the wider community.

Regards,
Dr Sujata Allan (MBBS, DCH).

It is outrageous that AGL is proposing to make this efficiency upgrade
without in the process taking measures to reduce the air pollution
released by the power station. AGL should be installing world's best
practice technology for reducing the emissions of oxides of sulfur and
nitrogen which present known serious consequences for human health.
The Planning Commission should hold public hearings to hear the
community's views on this matter.

Please accept this as my submission on the Bayswater Power Station
Turbine Efficiency Upgrade.

I object to this development. This is an old power station that should
be retired not upgraded. I object to the fact that the application to
upgrade the turbines has no provision to install the latest pollution
controls, including SOX, NOX and PM2.5 controls, and instead the
upgrade would allow the power station to continue emitting these
noxious pollutants, thereby endangering the health of nearby
communities.

I request that the planning commission hold a public meeting to ensure
that residents of the valley and stakeholders can hear about the
impacts of this project and provide input.

Sincerely yours,

Aviva Imhof

I object to any extension of Bayswater Power Station's operating period.
Bayswater is one of the single biggest domestic point sources of
greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. We must phase out our
dependence on all coal-fired energy, not entrench in with huge
investments to extend our reliance into the future.

We are living through the last moments in human history when we have
the opportunity to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate
change. Failure to make serious efforts to do so is like punching the
youth of today and future generations in the face, hard enough to
cause black eyes and to break bones and then spitting on the bloody,
twisted mess.

I object on environmental grounds. What will AGL do to reduce the S02
emissions? What pollution-reduction technology will be used to protect
its workers and the local community?

I object to this development.

Coal plants are a major contributor to air pollution in NSW and AGL is
Australia's number one polluter.

AGL must use best practice for pollution controls.

I hope that a public meeting will be held so the communities affected
by air pollution caused by AGL's Bayswater power station are properly
consulted.

I object to the current proposal. It lacks a plan to improve the
pollution management of the plant. If this plant is going to be
upgraded, it should be done in accordance with international
standards.

AGL should be required to fit best-practice pollution controls for
PM2.5, SO2 and NOx.

As key infrastructure, I'd recommend a public hearing to review the
proposal.

Quite definitely the AGL needs to follow best practice protocols in
limiting the potential pollution, notably of sulphur dioxide and the
toxic oxides of Nitrogen.
I believe the environmental impact may have been under-stated.
A public meeting for residents of the area has not been called so
there can be no surety that people in the area, nor any other
stakeholders or interested parties, have been given a real
understanding of the impact; nor that they know how to voice their
concerns.

This major investment in Bayswater suggests that it will be operated for
many years, so should be required to install modern pollution control
technologies at the same time so the health burden does not continue
for years.
Power stations overseas are obliged to use post combustion
desulphurisation to control SO2, and catalytic converters to control
NOx.
We would not allow cars with the same pollution as in the 1980s, so
why would we put up with it from power stations?

An efficiency improvement is a good thing, but must come with
pollution controls.

While doing a major upgrade the power station should be brought into line
with international standards, and have SO2 and NOx control
technologies fitted. These are not expensive.

I object to the proposed development.

Bayswater is the single largest source of fine particle emissions
(PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide in the Hunter Valley.

These pollutants regularly breach health guidelines in the Valley, and
are linked to elevated incidence of asthma, stroke and pre-term
births. But their pollution also drifts a long way. NSW Health found
that power station air pollution causes 40 premature deaths each year
in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area.

Best practice technologies reduce toxic emissions of NOx and SO2 by
90% or more. Both of these technologies (flue gas desulfurisation and
selective catalytic reduction) are obligatory in other countries such
as the USA, the EU, China and India.

AGL should be required to fit best-practice pollution controls for SO2
and NOx.

If AGL want to upgrade their power station, it's time that they were
required to upgrade their pollution controls.

Additionally the planning commission should hold a public meeting to
ensure that residents of the valley and stakeholders can hear about
the impacts of this project and provide input.

I object to the proposed development of AGL's Bayswater powerstation.
The proposal does not include upgrading to best available technology
in order to bring the plant in line with overseas practice for toxic
air emission reduction, in particular for Sulphur dioxide, oxides of
Nitrogen and particulate matter (PM2.5). Any reduction in these
pollutants are known to have a positive health benefit. The Planning
Commission should hold a public meeting to allow community members to
have further input into the proposal.

I wish to present my objection to AGL's upgrading of its Bayswater
coal-fired power station in the absence of including provision for
best-practice controls for emissions of SO2 and NOx. Such controls are
mandatory in most countries, but AGL has repeatedly breached
guidelines and has made no effort tin introduce such measures.
Furthermore, I expect that public meetings be held for the residents
of the valley to explain to them the ramifications of this upgrade,
and to hear their views.

I object to the development,
AGL should be required to fit best-practice pollution controls for SO2
and NOx. these pollutants cause an unnecessary number of deaths.
The planning commission should hold a public meeting to ensure that
residents of the valley and stakeholders can hear about the impacts of
this project and provide input.

I object to this development. AGL should be required to fit best-practice
pollution controls for SO2 and NOx.

I urge the planning commission to hold a public meeting to ensure that
residents of the valley and stakeholders can hear about the impacts of
this project and provide input.

Bayswater is the single largest source of fine particle emissions
(PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide in the Hunter Valley.

These pollutants regularly breach health guidelines in the Valley, and
are linked to elevated incidence of asthma, stroke and pre-term
births. But their pollution also drifts a long way. NSW Health found
that power station air pollution causes 40 premature deaths each year
in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area.

Best practice technologies reduce toxic emissions of NOx and SO2 by
90% or more. Both of these technologies (flue gas desulfurisation and
selective catalytic reduction) are obligatory in other countries such
as the USA, the EU, China and India.

If AGL want to upgrade their power station, it's time that they were
required to upgrade their pollution controls and stop dumping their
pollution on the residents of NSW.