AGL Energy

AGL Energy Limited
Public
Traded as ASX: AGL
S&P/ASX 200 Component
Industry
Founded
Headquarters North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Key people
 Andrew Vesey (CEO & MD)
Products
Services
Revenue Increase A$12.584 billion (2017) [1]
Increase A$802 million (2017) [1]
Number of employees
 Decrease 3,470 (2017)[2]
Subsidiaries ActewAGL (25%)
Website www.agl.com.au

AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) is an Australian listed public company involved in both the generation and retailing of electricity and gas for residential and commercial use.

AGL Energy generates energy from power stations that use thermal power, natural gas, wind power, hydroelectricity, solar energy, gas storage and coal seam gas sources.

AGL claimed in August 2017 that it had more than 3.6 million[3] residential and business customer accounts across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland.[4] AGL entered the residential and commercial gas market in Western Australia in July 2017[5]. It has large investments in the supply of gas and electricity, and is Australia's largest private owner, operator and developer of renewable energy assets.[6][7]

History

The Australian Gas Light Company was formed in Sydney, New South Wales in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841.[8] AGL was the second company to list on the Sydney Stock Exchange.[9] The company gradually diversified into electricity and into a number of different locations.

ActewAGL, a joint venture between the Australian Gas Light Company and ACTEW Corporation, a government-owned enterprise of the ACT Government, was formed in October 2000 as Australia's first utility joint venture.[10] Twenty-five per cent owned by AGL Energy, ActewAGL provides electricity, natural gas, and telecommunication services to business and residential customers in the Australian Capital Territory and south-east New South Wales.[11]

On 6 October 2006, the Australian Gas Light Company and Alinta Ltd merged and restructured to create two new listed companies, a restructured Alinta Ltd and AGL Energy Ltd.[12]

In Victoria, in June 2012, AGL Energy acquired Loy Yang A Power Station and the Loy Yang coal mine.[13] Loy Yang A has four generating units with a combined capacity of 2,200 MW (3,000,000 hp).

In New South Wales, in September 2014 AGL Energy acquired Macquarie Generation from the New South Wales Government for $1.5 billion. Macquarie Generation's assets included the 2,640 MW Bayswater Power Station, the 2,000 MW Liddell Power Station, the 50 MW Hunter Valley Gas Turbines and the Liddell Solar Thermal Project.[14] From the two thermal coal power stations and two oil-fired gas turbines, Macquarie Generation supplies approximately 12% of the National Electricity Market and 30% of the New South Wales electricity market.[14] In early stages, Macquarie has commenced development of solar thermal power as a renewable source of energy.

AGL announced in April 2015 and reaffirmed in September 2017 that it intends to close the Liddell Power Station in 2022.[15] The closure of this and other coal-burning power stations in Australia has led to the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, to seek advice from the Australian Energy Market Operator on extending the life of a number of them,[16] to head off future power shortages.[17] Turnbull said the government had been advised that if the Liddell plant were to close in 2022, there would be a 1,000 MW gap in base load, dispatchable power generation.[16]

Operations and significant assets

AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio—including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants—spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro and wind.[18] The following tables listing significant assets are based on AGL's 2016 Annual Report.[19]

Coal- and gas-fired power stations

Source State Maximum capacity Ref
Bayswater Power StationNSW2,640 megawatts (3,540,000 hp)
Liddell Power Station
(to close 2022)		NSW2,000 megawatts (2,700,000 hp)
Loy Yang A Power StationVIC2,210 megawatts (2,960,000 hp)
Torrens Island Power StationSA1,280 megawatts (1,720,000 hp)
Barker Inlet Power Station
under construction to replace the oldest part of Torrens Island		SA210 megawatts (280,000 hp)
Somerton Power Station (Gas turbines)VIC160 megawatts (210,000 hp)
Yabulu Power Station
50% interest – not operated by AGL		QLD121 megawatts (162,000 hp)
(50% of 242 MW)

Renewable energy

Source State Maximum capacity Ref
Dartmouth Hydroelectric Power StationVIC180 megawatts (240,000 hp)
Eildon Hydroelectric Power StationVIC120 megawatts (160,000 hp)[20]
Hallet Wind Farms (1,2,4 & 5)SA350 megawatts (470,000 hp)
Kiewa Hydroelectric SchemeVIC391 megawatts (524,000 hp)
Macarthur Wind Farm
(50%, sold 2015)		VIC420 megawatts (560,000 hp)
Oaklands Wind FarmVIC63 megawatts (84,000 hp)
Broken Hill Solar PlantNSW53 megawatts (71,000 hp)
Nyngan Solar PlantNSW102 megawatts (137,000 hp)
Coopers Gap Wind Farm
in development		QLD453 megawatts (607,000 hp)[21]
Silverton Wind Farm
in development		NSW200 megawatts (270,000 hp)[22]

Gas

Source State Maximum capacity Ref
Newcastle Gas StorageNSW1.5 petajoules (0.42×10^9 kWh)
Silver Springs Gas StorageQLD35 petajoules (9.7×109 kWh)

Upstream gas projects

In 2015 the EPA ordered the suspension of AGL's Gloucester operations after finding toxic chemicals had been introduced into Hunter Water's systems.[23] The EPA subsequently found no "evidence of harm to the environment or pollution of waters"[24] and AGL was allowed to continue its Gloucester operations.[25]

In February 2016, AGL announced that exploration and production of natural gas assets would no longer be a core business for the company. This announcement included clarification that AGL would not proceed with the Gloucester gas project and that it would cease production at the Camden Gas Project in South West Sydney in 2023, twelve years earlier than previously proposed.[26]

AGL has implemented a decommissioning and rehabilitation program for its well sites and other infrastructure in the Gloucester region.[27] In November 2016, AGL commenced the progressive decommissioning and rehabilitation of wells at the Camden site.[28]

Power generation projects in development

Coopers Gap Wind Farm

In August 2017, it was announced that the Coopers Gap Wind Farm would proceed to construction, with AGL securing funding from the Powering Australian Renewables Fund.[29] When completed the 453 MW Coopers Gap Wind Farm will be the largest in Australia.[30]

Silverton Wind Farm

In May 2017, it was announced that construction had commenced on the 200 MW Silverton Wind Farm in north western New South Wales.[31]

Barker Inlet Power Station

In June 2017, AGL announced the development of a new $295 million gas-fired generator in South Australia. The Barker Inlet Power Station, will replace two of the four Torrens Island A turbines. The island's B turbines will continue to operate as usual.[32]

Crib Point Gas Import Jetty

In August 2017, Crib Point Import Jetty was announced as the preferred location for a new terminal importing gas from other markets.[33] The project is expected to cost $250 million, with construction expected to commence in 2019.[34]

Powering Australian Renewables Fund

In February 2016, AGL announced the creation of the Powering Australian Renewables Fund.[35] The Powering Australian Renewables Fund or PARF, will own and develop more than 1,000MW of large-scale renewable energy projects to support Australia’s renewable energy capacity and transition to a low-carbon economy. Once fully invested, PARF expects to own approximately 10% of Australia’s renewable energy capacity.[36]

In June 2016, QIC and the Future Fund joined AGL as investors in the Powering Australian Renewables Fund.[37]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "AGL Annual Report 2017" (PDF). AGL Energy Pty Ltd. AGL Energy Pty Ltd. p. 7. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "AGL Annual Report 2017" (PDF). AGL Energy Pty Ltd. AGL Energy Pty Ltd. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  3. ↑ AGL Energy (10 August 2017). "Slide 44, page 22 of AGL Full Year Financial Results Presentation to Investors" (PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  4. ↑ "Who We Are". AGL website. AGL Energy. March 2014.
  5. ↑ O'Neill, Brendon (29 May 2017). "AGL and Origin set for WA gas launch". CanstarBlue. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "How We Source Energy". AGL website. AGL Energy. March 2014.
  7. ↑ "Energy giant backs 20% renewables". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 August 2007.
  8. ↑ "History of Natural Gas in Australia". Energysafe Victoria. Victorian Government. Archived from the original on 16 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  9. ↑ "ASX history". ASX. March 2014.
  10. ↑ Wright, B. (2003). Canberra & the Capital Region, a new focus. NSW: Focus Publishing Pty Ltd.
  11. ↑ Doherty, Megan (20 July 2012). "Actew's 'water' bill hits $2.5m". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "AGL - Alinta Transaction: Class Ruling" (PDF) (PDF). AGL Energy.
  13. ↑ AGL Loy Yang supplies approximately 30% of Victoria’s power requirements.
  14. 1 2 "AGL Macquarie Website"
  15. ↑ "AGL Energy statement on Liddell Power Station". AGL Energy. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  16. 1 2 Osborne, Paul (6 September 2017). "Turnbull throws his weight behind coal power". InDaily. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  17. ↑ Liddell power plant operating below 40 per cent capacity, faces 'mammoth' woes
  18. ↑ "Annual Report 2013" (PDF) (PDF). AGL Energy. p. 4.
  19. ↑ Page 17, "AGL Annual Report 2016", September 2016
  20. ↑ "AEMO Participant Registrations List". Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  21. ↑ Morris, Katherine (17 August 2017). "Coopers Gap Wind Farm given the green light". South Burnett Times. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  22. ↑ "AGL STARTS CONSTRUCTION AT SILVERTON WIND FARM". EcoGeneration. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  23. ↑ Hannam, Peter (14 March 2015). "CSG more trouble than it's worth for AGL". www.canberratimes.com.au. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "EPA investigations find no harm to the environment from AGL's Waukivory Pilot Project and recommend additional monitoring requirements" (Press release). NSW Environment Protection Authority. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  25. ↑ Gibney, Adrian (2015-05-19). "AGL cleared to resume Waukivory operations". AGL Energy Sustainability Blog. Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  26. ↑ Stewart, Robb M. (4 February 2016). "AGL to quit natural gas exploration, production". The Australian. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  27. ↑ "AGL outlines plans to rehabilitate CSG wells near Gloucester". ABC News. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  28. ↑ "AGL WILL CLOSE 17 WELLS IN 2017-18 AS IT PREPARES TO CLOSE THE CAMDEN GAS PROJECT BY 2023". Macarthur Chronicle. November 28, 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  29. ↑ Morris, Katherine (17 August 2017). "Coopers Gap Wind Farm given the green light". South Burnett Times. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  30. ↑ "All turbines go for Coopers Gap Wind Farm, set to be Australia's largest". The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  31. ↑ "AGL STARTS CONSTRUCTION AT SILVERTON WIND FARM". EcoGeneration. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  32. ↑ Harmsen, Nick (7 Jun 2017). "AGL announces plans for new gas-fired power station in South Australia". ABC News. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  33. ↑ Andrews, Jon (August 20, 2017). "$250m gas import terminal slated for Crib Point". Herald Sun. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  34. ↑ Clure, Elias (11 August 2017). "Proposed AGL pipeline at Mornington Peninsula potential 'game changer' for energy prices". ABC News. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  35. ↑ Macdonald-Smith, Angela (10 February 2016). "AGL Energy going greener with launch of $3b renewable energy fund". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  36. ↑ "QIC ENTERS STRATEGIC RENEWABLE ENERGY PARTNERSHIP WITH AGL". QIC.com.au. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  37. ↑ "AGL gets QIC and Future Fund as partners". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 July 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  • "AGL website". Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 2007-01-31.
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