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Friday, 21 February, 2014
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DARK DAYS: Alcoa worker Kel Brewer absorbs this week’s announcement at Point Henry. 115205 Picture: REG RYAN
WIN PASSES TO MOVIE PAGE 2
PAKO LIFT-OUT INSIDE TODAY
Power station’s 80 jobs now in doubt By NOEL MURPHY
CHANTOOZIES BACK PAGE 21
FORD OWNERS
WORKERS at Alcoa’s Anglesea power plant mine are furious the complex could close if it remains unsold by year’s end, according to their union. Australian Workers Union (AWU) state secretary Ben Davis said Alcoa had assured the 80 staff their jobs were safe, telling them the plant was separate to a review that would close the company’s Point Henry operations, costing 800 jobs. “They’re all totally stumped, they didn’t see it coming at all,” Mr Davis told the Independent. “For 18 months Alcoa said it wasn’t part of the review and then out of left field they’re told it’s sale or closure.
Close it, urge greenies “They’re angry and they’re worried about their future.” The plant also faces closure calls from environmentalists. Doctors for the Environment Australia is spearheading the push over feared health risks from plant emissions. “Compared to coal elsewhere, Anglesea coal has an extremely high sulphur content. When it is burned at Anglesea power station high levels of sulphur dioxide are emitted,” said the group’s Victoria chair, Dr Eugenie Kayak. “Sulphur dioxide is a respiratory ir-
ritant with no safe level of exposure. It can trigger asthma attacks and worsen lung diseases like emphysema.” Dr Kayak claimed the power station also released other harmful air pollution “known to contribute to heart disease, lung disease and lung cancer” and raised concerns about its proximity to a primary school, residential areas and the town centre. Mr Davis said green lobbyists wanted the power plant shut but “a goodly proportion” of Anglesea’s community hoped it continued. The prospects of re-employment for plant workers would be grim if
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Alcoa failed to find a buyer, he said. Alcoa spokesperson Nichola Holgate said the coal mine and power station had the “potential to operate as a stand-alone facility after the smelter closes”. “No decision has been made to shut Anglesea if it cannot be sold. What we’ve said is that Alcoa believes the Anglesea power station is a viable asset and that’s why it will be offered for sale,” she said. “If a sale is not possible we’ll evaluate options at that time, including possible closure. In open-crew sessions, we did discuss the various options but no deadlines were set.” $600m body blow, PAGE 5