At Eraring Power Station, more than 200 Origin employees—and just as many contractors—are hard at work keeping everything running smoothly. Engineers, electricians, operators, project managers, and technicians all bring their unique skills to this 40-year-old site, with some team members having been here for decades. As we prepare to retire Australia’s largest power station by mid-2027, our Future Directions program is in full swing, offering personalised support to help our Eraring team transition confidently into their next career steps. With over 98% of employees actively engaged in the program, we recently sat down with some of them to hear about their experiences, the opportunities the program has created, and how it’s setting them up for the future. 

Andrew G – Overhaul Manager

“I’ve been a Newcastle local for years, so having a job at a power station close to family and friends was always a big plus. I started my apprenticeship as a Fitter Machinist in 2015, back when Eraring was set to close in 2032. But with the accelerated transition to renewable energy, that date got moved up to as early as mid-2027. At first, it was disappointing—I love the work here, the challenges, and the people I work with. I’d hoped to stay longer. 

Over time, though, the Future Directions program really opened my eyes to the career options out there for skilled workers like me. It’s reassuring to see Origin being proactive, providing everything from upskilling opportunities to financial and mental health support during this transition. The program has even introduced us to employers in industries like defence and manufacturing, where, as it turns out, the skills we’ve developed at Eraring are highly valued. I’ve realised that with the right training and support, I’ll be ready for whatever comes next, whether that’s with Origin or somewhere new.”

Shannon L – Production Coordinator

“I’m a Production Coordinator, a role I’ve been in at Eraring for 13 years, but my journey in energy generation actually started 35 years ago. I began as an apprentice mechanical fitter in 1990 at Wallerawang Power Station, and I always thought I’d finish my career in the power industry. So, when we learned that Eraring would be closing early, I had to adjust my mindset—I wasn’t ready to retire so it was time to start planning for a new career. That’s when I started considering running my own business doing property maintenance. I had the opportunity to try it out and it really got me thinking about making this a serious option. 

With the support of Future Directions, I began balancing my regular job with building up my  side business, working for clients outside of regular work hours. Future Directions provided advice and connected me with professionals who helped me learn the ropes of running a business and even assisted me in taking relevant courses. Before long, the business was rolling along nicely, with enough demand that I even brought on subcontractors to keep up with the workload.  

When the plant’s closure date was adjusted again from 2025 to 2027, I decided to scale back the business a bit to focus on my duties at Eraring, keeping it going in the background so I can ramp it up again when the time comes. Thanks to Future Directions, I’m going into this transition with a lot less anxiety and a lot more confidence. It’s reassuring to know I’ll have something solid to carry me through until retirement, and that’s worth a lot.”

Daniel M – I&C Maintenance Lead

“I’ve always had an interest in technical things—cars, machines, et cetera. After high school, I landed a four-year apprenticeship as an electrician at Eraring Power Station in 1999, and I’ve worked here ever since. Now, as the Instrumentation and Control Maintenance Team Lead, I was caught off guard a bit when we learned about the earlier  retirement date for Eraring. There was a lot to process—surprise, disappointment, even a bit of worry about what comes next. 

The Future Directions program provided crucial support after the announcement. It began with career counselling, helping us explore future options and identify training to strengthen our prospects. This guidance was invaluable, particularly for long-term employees like myself, as it offered a clearer view of our next steps. Additionally, mental health resources were available, helping many to manage the transition more smoothly. 
 
For me, the goal is to stay in my field; I enjoy the work and want to build on what I’ve accomplished. Through Future Directions, I took additional courses to strengthen my skills and boost my employability. I’m optimistic about the future now, feeling prepared to stay on until Eraring’s closure and confident that I’ll have the skills needed to continue in the industry.” 

The post Eraring workers share their Future Directions journeys appeared first on The Origin Blog.

Recently compiled data revealed that Eraring Power Station increased electricity output by over 17% for the 2024 financial year. This represented an increase of 2.1 TWh to a total of 14 TWh – the highest annual output at Eraring since 2019.  

To put this into context, total electricity demand in NSW in the 2024 financial year was 67 TWh, meaning Eraring met 21% of the state’s power needs. That’s not bad for a 40-year-old asset. 

Eraring was responding to government policy introduced in December 2022 designed to increase electricity output and help put downwards pressure on prices. The Federal Government’s Energy Price Relief Plan was a response to significant supply and price pressures felt in global energy markets following the war in Ukraine and included a cap on the price of coal until June 2024.  

In addition, the plant played an important role in responding to the daily and seasonal variability in renewables output, helping underpin reliable supply for customers under all scenarios. 

Eraring’s ability to flex its output in this way is no small feat and is a credit to our team onsite who carry out a rigorous maintenance regime each year to keep the power station in the best possible condition. The plant’s ongoing contribution to the market is also dependent on continued support from local coal suppliers.  

Shoulder season is maintenance season

Most years we perform a scheduled maintenance outage on one of the power station’s four generating units. 

Typically performed during the spring or autumn shoulder seasons when electricity demand tends to be lower, these major maintenance outages help ensure safe, flexible and reliable operations. Performing them in the shoulder season also ensures all generating units are available during the summer and winter peak periods – when Aussies are using more energy. 

What happens during a maintenance outage?

During a scheduled maintenance outage, the Eraring team conducts a series of inspections and repairs to a generating unit’s boiler, turbine, turbine auxiliary, valve, electrical and circulating water systems to ensure the unit continues to meet its safety and regulatory requirements. 

The workforce at Eraring swells during these outages, with an additional 700 people from various departments and contracting firms on site at the peak of the works. More than 50 different suppliers providing skills including welders, boilermakers and electricians, many from the Hunter and Lake Macquarie area, support the outage work.  

Shift teams tend to work day and night, six days a week to turn around the safest and quickest overhaul possible. Over a thousand ton of scaffold will be erected for access and works, four turbine rotors and an 80-ton generator rotor will be removed for inspection and overhaul, hundreds of valves will be inspected and overhauled while extensive pressure welding and mechanical works will be carried out on the unit’s boiler. 

The next scheduled maintenance outage will be performed on Eraring Unit 3 starting in late August and is targeted for completion in November 2024. Each major maintenance outage represents capital expenditure of $70 – $80m, with further unit maintenance at Eraring scheduled for 2025 and 2026, so we can keep the plant operating safely and reliably.  

Preparing for Eraring’s retirement

Another area we spend considerable time planning for is the eventual closure of coal generation operations at Eraring, scheduled for August 2027.  

Our biggest priority has been delivering an extensive program to support Eraring’s workforce.  

Known as Future Directions, the program is led by an experienced team based on site and focuses on three key pillars: 

• Communication & change – ensuring our people are listened to, respected, supported and valued via ongoing communication and consultation. 
• Future capabilities – supporting individuals to achieve their future career and life choice goals. 
• Health & well-being – keeping health and well-being front of mind, and to ensure our workforce transition plans are phased & transparent.  

While Future Directions offers a host of career information and wellbeing resources, the program’s focus through its early phase has been on developing Individual Support Plans. These individual plans reflect the unique circumstances of every employee – some are early in their careers, while others are nearing retirement age. Some want to continue working in energy, while others are looking for a career change. 

The individual plans detail an employee’s current skills and qualifications, their future career ambitions, opportunities for development, re-training, re-skilling and further education. We’ve already had employees complete a wide range of courses including property development, psychology, business administration, photography and welding to name a few.   

Today, 96% of the Eraring team have an active support plan in place, with 288 training courses completed and funded by Origin. We hold twice yearly check-ins with our people, to see how their plan is going and make changes if appropriate – overwhelmingly, participating employees support the program. 

We’re in the early stages of sharing details of our Future Directions program with Eraring’s suppliers, to help them in the development of their own plans to support their workforces through the transition to closure. 

What’s next for the Eraring site?

When we eventually reach the end of coal power generation at Eraring, that doesn’t spell the end of operations at the site. 

Eraring is a highly valuable energy site, with good transmission connections to the main grid and the demand centres of the Hunter and Sydney. 

We’ve already approved construction of a large-scale battery project on the site of Eraring, with phase one of that project currently under construction. Total investment in the Eraring battery project is $1 billion, delivering a combined energy storage of over 2 GWh. This will enable us to help keep the grid stable and support more variable renewable energy coming into the system. 

Want to learn more?

To keep up-to-date with what’s happening at Australia’s largest power station, visit our dedicated Eraring Power Station web page.

The post Keeping the country’s largest power station in peak condition appeared first on The Origin Blog.

What’s in the box?

In simple terms, batteries store electrical energy in chemical form, with lithium-ion being the most common battery chemistry used to store electricity for grid-scale applications. This is the same technology you find in devices such as smartphones and laptops.

Large-scale batteries typically consist of several components – a battery unit or ‘enclosure’ (generally a large fridge-sized box or a shipping container), an inverter to help charge and discharge the battery, and a transformer to step up to high voltage suitable for transmission around the electricity network.

Speed and flexibility

Unlike other forms of energy storage and generation, batteries are particularly valuable because they can respond faster than other energy storage or generation technologies and can help avoid blackouts by turning on and off in fractions of a second. Compared to traditional forms of generation, which can take several hours to reach full output, batteries can respond almost instantly to changes in wind or solar generation and keep supply stable and the lights on.

Batteries are also a great way to supply additional power when demand for energy peaks, such as when people get home from work and start to consume more electricity.

When charged during the day, soaking up excess solar generation that is not used as it is produced, we can “shift” energy from the middle of the day to the afternoon peak period to meet customers’ needs.

While batteries can provide almost instantaneous back-up, the amount of time they can support the system using current technology is relatively short, limited to a few hours at most. This means batteries alone cannot yet be relied upon to support the grid for the longer durations sometimes required, which can be several days in the case of severe outages. Over time, as battery technology improves, it will be able to provide back-up for longer and at lower cost.

Location, location, location!

Large-scale batteries can in theory be placed anywhere along the electricity grid. However, to take advantage of the infrastructure already in place and reduce the cost of the energy produced, Origin is looking at the potential for installing large-scale battery technology at many of our existing power stations, including the construction of the 460MW battery project (with a view to increase its capacity to 700MW in the future) at the Eraring Power station in NSW.

Interestingly, a large-scale battery located next to a power station is not powered by the power station. Large-scale batteries operate independently, are connected to the grid and can continue to operate when the power station is not running or even after it may have retired from service.

Want to learn more?

On episode five of our So Watt? podcast, hosts Zach and Dom delve into the role batteries will play in the future of the energy network.

The post How large-scale batteries can support the growth of renewables appeared first on The Origin Blog.

In the Pokémon Gameboy game, players must pick a starting Pokémon based on elements of water, fire, and grass. Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur all have different strengths and weaknesses, and what we learn on the journey is that we need a well-rounded team of Pokémon who support each other.

So, what does that have to do with energy, and the transition to a cleaner energy system? It’s a stretch, but it’s an analogy about how the electricity grid needs different power sources working together in order to keep the lights on for everyone.

And that’s what we’re exploring in season two of So Watt? – a podcast about energy hosted by Dom Fay and Zach Mander from Collective Noun. It’s all about how we transition to a cleaner energy system, powered predominantly by renewables.

Have a listen below, or read on for a recap of episode one.

What role does coal power play today?

Coal-fired power plants are called baseload generators, which means they were designed to run 24/7 and maintain constant power. Today, coal plants still generate around 60% of total power needs in the national electricity market – so how do we move away from it without sending everyone into darkness? 

Australia’s biggest coal-fired power plant, Eraring in NSW, is owned and operated by Origin. It can generate 2,922 Megawatts of power at peak output – that’s about 25% of NSW’s power output at the moment. To put things in perspective, the average home solar installation is 9.54 Kilowatts, so we’d need more than 300,000 homes generating that much solar power, day and night, to match Eraring’s energy output.  

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) estimates that by 2030, up to 60% of Australia’s coal-fired power could be retired, and 83% of our total power needs will come from renewables. So, here’s the challenge: we need to build significantly more renewables to replace coal plants exiting the grid, and we need a lot more transmission to carry that power from the renewable plants to demand centres, like our large cities. We also need to solve the problem of back-up (or firming) power, because renewable energy is variable and can’t meet our power needs 24/7.  

The big shutdown

Shutting down a huge facility like Eraring is a big undertaking and requires years of planning to ensure it’s managed smoothly. Earlier this year, Origin announced plans to shut down Eraring as early as August 2025. That leaves three years to ensure there is enough supply in the market to compensate for the potential exit of Eraring, and plan how to repurpose the site. The terrain isn’t suitable for solar or wind farms – so we’re looking to build a large-scale battery. In fact, at 700 Megawatts, when built it will be one of the biggest batteries in the world.

So, with Eraring retiring, how does the market continue to balance supply and demand 24/7 in real-time? How does the system completely replace coal-fired power?

We’re going to need more large-scale solar and wind farms. However, these renewables can’t completely replace traditional forms of energy as their output is variable – they can’t generate power when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. So, we need other ‘firm’ energy sources that can provide capacity and ensure reliable supply. And that means we’re going to need a lot more battery storage in Australia to store excess renewable power for use at a later time. This means lots of lithium-ion batteries – like the one we’re looking to install at Eraring, and more pumped storage hydro, which also acts like a giant battery. Gas-fired peaking plants will also continue to play an important role, and while they may not run very often, they’ll be crucial to reliable supply when back-up is needed over longer periods of time.

It’s all about getting the right mix of energy sources in place so we can maintain reliable power supply in the grid for Aussie homes and businesses. 

The shutdown of Eraring is one of the key steps Origin is taking as we make progress towards our ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2050. We’re also committed to helping our customers to reduce their carbon footprint by providing the right products and services, because we can all play a role in the transition to cleaner energy.

Hosts, Zach and Dom from Collective Noun admit they know nothing about energy – but not for long! Origin’s So Watt? podcast questions everything you thought you knew about energy, and explores the solutions that exist today. In season two of So Watt? go on a journey with Zach and Dom to find out more about the transition to renewables, what changes are already happening and what’s coming up.

The post How do we shut down Australia’s largest power plant? appeared first on The Origin Blog.

In August 2021, one of the four 720 MW units at Eraring, Origin’s only coal fired power station, was taken offline for major maintenance, allowing us to inspect and repair its boilers, turbine and cooling water systems.  

Maintenance outages involve complex planning by an integrated team who oversee the entire work program. This team develops a detailed scope for each job, which includes a full project schedule, cost allocation and resource planning. 

During any outage, safety performance and quality management is a major focus. Add in a pandemic and this focus increases significantly, requiring additional planning and preparation to safely manage and accommodate a peak workforce of 600 people on site.  

Against a backdrop of escalating COVID-19 cases in the NSW community, Origin’s maintenance outage team developed a comprehensive pandemic management plan, focused on protecting the health of employees, contractors, and the community.  

This plan required outage work teams to follow strict hygiene controls, which saw them separated into 83 work ‘bubbles’ to minimise unnecessary interactions and comply, where possible, with social distancing guidelines.  

Over the course of the maintenance outage, 700 site inductions were completed to safely onboard workers and almost 9,000 Rapid Antigen Tests and 150 on-site PCR tests were conducted. Additionally, 50 temporary accommodation and amenities blocks were assembled on the Eraring site to help accommodate the largely local maintenance workforce and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. 

Throughout the three-month outage, broader site safety remained a focus, with more than 2,600 safety observations recorded and 32,000 on-the-job safety checks conducted.  

At the end of October 2021, after 224,000 hours of work, the unit was successfully returned to service. Our teams are now well advanced in their planning for the next major Eraring unit outage scheduled to commence in August 2022.  

The post Navigating a covid-safe maintenance outage  appeared first on The Origin Blog.

Origin’s goal of recycling 80 per cent of the coal ash generated at our Eraring Power Station has taken a big step forward after we entered a new agreement to supply 900,000 tonnes of ash to mining company Glencore over the next two and a half years. 

Coal ash from the Eraring ash dam will be supplied to Glencore to help cap its Teralba mine tailings dam. The project is expected to bring forward final rehabilitation of the tailings dam by at least 10 years. Origin’s Executive General Manager, Energy Supply & Operations Greg Jarvis said the deal with Glencore signals a shift in approach to ash recycling.  

“This agreement delivers great outcomes for the environment and the community. Not only are we significantly increasing our recycling, but Eraring’s ash will also be used to help rehabilitate the land at Glencore’s site,” he said.  

“The resource recovery order from the NSW Environmental Protection Authority allows us to extract coal ash from the Eraring ash dam, so we’re now starting to view this facility as more of a resource, like a quarry”. 

“We currently recycle around 35 per cent of the ash from Eraring for use in industrial and construction sectors. This new deal will help substantially increase our ash recycling levels at Eraring over the term of the supply,” Mr Jarvis said.  

 This project follows the successful partnership with a local ash supplier to install a high-capacity classifier to extract high quality ash to be used in cement and similar industries.  

The post Recycling boost at Eraring Power Station appeared first on The Origin Blog.

The team at the Eraring nursery grow plants from seed harvested locally and use these to regenerate sections of the 1,100 hectares occupied by the Eraring Power Station beside Lake Macquarie.

There are around 110 native species on site and the team from the nursery collect seeds from these plants, propagate seedlings, and raise tube stock for planting. The team is also responsible for weed and pest control, clearing of nominated areas, and bushfire management.

We currently have five local Indigenous employees at the nursery, including three trainees who are studying for their Certificate III in Indigenous Land Management. While the trainees are learning modern methods in their studies, their knowledge of traditional Indigenous land management practices is proving to be invaluable.

Many of the native plants on site have different life cycles, with some seed pods requiring fire or cold weather to release seeds. To help ‘trick’ the pods, the team employs a mix of traditional and modern techniques such as smoking to replicate a bushfire or using a fridge to make them cool. Once the pods have released their seeds, they’re labelled and then stored in a seed bank in the fridge for longevity.

Use of recycled materials is also a big part of the nursery’s operations. Ash from the power generation process is used for drainage on the greenhouse floors, while seaweed harvested from the power station’s inlet canal screens is used as fertilizer, to make potting mix, and improve soil.

Tony Phillips, Origin’s Group Manager Operations at Eraring, said the team is committed to developing a healthy ecosystem through the protection and reintroduction of native plant species.

“The team planted around 2,000 seedlings during FY2020, and estimate they’ll propagate and plant over 2,000 seedlings over the next 12 months. In time, we hope to build up stock and capacity so the nursery can develop into a viable business that can service other revegetation projects in the Hunter region, particularly mine rehabilitation works as well our own on site needs.”

The post Eraring plant nursery: applying Indigenous techniques to site revegetation appeared first on The Origin Blog.

As Maintenance Coordinator, her first job each day is to take part in ‘Toolbox’ talks, discussing safety and arranging maintenance jobs around the plant.

“I facilitate and coordinate the contractors on site, taking care of everything to do with facilities management for the asset, from fencing and cleaning, to waste management and recycling, land management, canteen staff, pest control and security.”

Variety on the job

Charmaine said the best aspect of her job is variety – she never knows what each day will bring. “It keeps things interesting,” she said. “There can be some challenges, but when you have a good team to work with, things get done, and that’s satisfying.”

“I’m often out on site, ensuring the work is being carried out correctly and safely,” she said. “We have a really great crew of contractors and we all work well together. They’re all very safety-focused and always looking at new ways to do things more efficiently.”

A focus on safety

One of Charmaine’s most important roles is keeping on top of the heavy-duty cleaning work around the power station.

“A spill down the sides of conveyor belts can have a knock-on effect,” she said. “If we don’t clean up spills they can stop belts from running, which means we can’t get fuel into the power station to make electricity.”

“To me, good energy is safe energy. It’s not just about producing megawatts. It’s also about making sure everyone stays safe and gets to go home to their families,” said Charmaine.

People powered

Origin is made up of a team of over 4000 people, each with their own story. We’re Australia’s leading energy retailer and we’re striving to get energy right for our customers, communities and planet.

The post Charmaine Bretherton, putting a focus on safety. appeared first on The Origin Blog.