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End of an era - retirement of Muja units

Release Date: 01 May 2007

The retirement on 30 April of four coal-fired generating units at Verve Energy’s Muja Power Station near Collie marks the end of an era.

"Over the past 40 years, hundreds of people worked on these machines which for many years were the backbone of the State’s electricity supplies," says Chief Executive Officer Shirley In’t Veld.

"They were the biggest and best of the available technology when they were built in the 1960s, " Ms In't Veld said.

"Now they’ve reached the end of their economic operating life and they were the least efficient in Verve Energy’s portfolio of coal, gas and liquid fuel-burning generators and renewable energy plant."

Closing these four 60MW Muja units was part of Verve Energy’s strategy to reduce its total installed generating capacity to 3000MW and would reduce greenhouse emissions.

State Government directed Verve Energy to lower its generating capacity to ensure that private electricity generators entered the WA market and increased competition.

"These Muja units have served the State well.Muja staff have a soft spot for these robust machines and there was a tinge of sadness when they were switched off for the last time," Ms In’t Veld said.

Power station staff was preparing the machines for care and maintenance.The future of the machines would be determined by the results of Verve Energy seeking, until 31 May 2007, expressions of interest in possible uses of the four generating machines.

Without these four units, Muja Power Station still had four big generating units, which can produce up to 854MW.Verve Energy was investing up to $100 million improving the performance of these machines, which were built 20-25 years ago, and continued to provide reliable electricity supplies to hundreds of thousands of Western Australians.

Any queries from the media are directed to Verve Energy's Corporate Relations branch.

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