May 4 (Reuters) - Australia's third-largest power retailer EnergyAustralia said on Tuesday it had approved the expansion of its gas-fired Tallawarra power station after reaching an agreement with the government of New South Wales.
The expansion will make the Tallawarra station in the Illawarra region the country's first net-zero emissions hydrogen and gas power plant, which will deliver power to around 150,000 homes, the company said in a statement.
The move comes at a time when Australia's power industry is facing pressure to curb its emissions and reduce electricity bills for households and small businesses. earlier this year announced plans to shut down its aging Yallourn coal-fired power station in Victoria in 2028, four years earlier than previously warned, sparking concerns about supply and prices. (Tallawarra) station will be operating in time for the summer of 2023-24, following the closure of the Liddell power station, and it will help to kick start the green hydrogen industry," outgoing Managing Director Catherine Tanna said.
EnergyAustralia, which is a unit of Hong Kong's CLP Holdings 0002.HK , said it would offer to buy 200,000 kilograms of green hydrogen each year from 2025 for the power station.