Yallourn Power Station
Yallourn Power station was the first large power station in the Latrobe Valley and the first to consume brown coal on a large scale. The project broke new ground technically as the coal was very low grade and very wet and proved difficult to burn. The power stations of the Latrobe Valley have supplied most of the electricity used in Victoria (VIC) since 1924 when Yallourn opened.
The Latrobe Valley power stations use fairly conventional steam cycles although their boilers are of special design to cope with the low calorific value and high water content of the brown coal mined. The coal is in very large deposits, close to the surface and in very deep seams so that the cost of mining and delivery to the power station is very low.
General Sir John Monash was the Chairman of the State Electricity Commission (SECV) at the commencement of the Latrobe Valley power generation project and remained in this position until his death in 1931. Monash had the management drive to keep the engineers and workers on the project focussed despite many setbacks. He also had the political capacity to convince the Victorian Government that the project would be successful.
The SECV subsequently delivered the cheapest electricity in the world to Victorian households and industries for many decades until it was abolished for political reasons. Electricity in Victoria is now amongst the most expensive in the world.
Engineering Heritage Recognition Program
| Marker Type | Engineering Heritage National Landmark (EHNL) |
| Award Date | 26 October 2011 |
| Heritage Significance | The Yallourn Power Station was opened in 1924 as the first of the Victorian State Electricity Commissions' brown coal-fired power stations. Located alongside and operating in conjunction with an extensive open-cut brown coal deposit, the station quickly established brown coal as a viable fuel source and expansion followed. 'B' Station was completed in 1938. 'C' Station in 1956 'D' Station in 1958 and 'E' Station in 1962. From its inception in 1924 until the 1950s, the Yallourn Power Station was the base-load power station for the Victorian electricity grid. |
| Nomination Document | Available here. |
| Ceremony Booklet Ceremony Report |
Available here. |
| Plaque/Interpretation Panel | Available here. |
