JOB threats to 750 Centennial Coal mineworkers were examined at NSW budget estimates yesterday, which also confirmed that coal exploration would no longer be allowed around historic Wollombi.
Origin Energy announced in February that it intended closing its Eraring power station in 2025, seven years ahead of its original schedule.
Eraring is fed by the nearby Myuna and Mandalong underground mines. As the Newcastle Herald reported at the time, Lake Macquarie state MP Greg Piper estimated the power station closure could cost 2000 jobs across the Westlakes community.
Myuna and Mandalong are privatised former state mines owned by Centennial Coal, which was taken over in 2010 by Thai company Banpu.
Centennial told the Herald in February it would look to export coal now bound for Eraring. Mandalong mine had rail access to take coal to the Port of Newcastle but Myuna did not, and new coal-handling facilities would be needed to make its coal available for export.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole was asked in estimates yesterday how many mining jobs could be affected by the power station closure.
When he said he could not recall, the deputy secretary of the government's Mining, Exploration and Geoscience unit, Georgina Beattie, said: "It's around 750 coal mining jobs that may be impacted as a result of the closure".
Ms Beattie said Centennial was looking to "pivot" the coal to export, while Mr Toole said he had held "very early" talks with the company.
"We don't want to see them packing up and leaving without being given an opportunity for what that industry might look like in that area," Mr Toole said. "If you actually close the mine down overnight, it does have a huge economic impact."
On the protecting Wollombi from coal exploration, the Herald reported in in April last year that "authorisation 263" just north of the historic township was among various "fast track" exploration areas promoted by then deputy premier John Bariliaro.
But in estimates yesterday, Mr Toole said exploration would not proceed at Wollombi or the Ganguddy-Kelgoola region near Rylstone, because of environmental and cultural constraints and uncertain economic prospects.
Environmentalists have welcomed the decision.
Lock The Gate's Georgina Woods said there was no room for new or extended coal mines.
