1.2.3.1.3 Bylong Coal Project

The Bylong Coal Project is in the Upper Bylong Valley, approximately 95 km from Mudgee and 220 km from the Port of Newcastle (KEPCO, 2014; Cockatoo Coal Limited, 2013a). Korea Electric Power Corporation Bylong Australia Pty Ltd (KEPCO) appointed WorleyParsons to manage the project. KEPCO are holders of Authorisation 287 (granted in 1982) and Authorisation 342 (granted in 1984) over an area of approximately 10,300 ha (KEPCO, 2011; KEPCO, 2015). KEPCO purchased the Bylong Coal Project from Anglo American plc in 2010 (Cockatoo Coal Limited, 2013a). In January 2014, a Gateway assessment application was submitted for review by the independent panel to assess the potential impact on the environment and to provide recommendations that will be considered when the project submits its EIS to the New South Wales Government (NSW Government). The Gateway certificate was granted on 16 April 2014.

Exploration to date has defined a mineable, economic coal resource of approximately 121 Mt within the authorisation area (KEPCO, 2014). The project is expected to produce up to 6 Mt/year of run-of-mine (ROM) coal that will be processed in the onsite CHPP providing an output of approximately 4 to 5 Mt/year of product coal (KEPCO, 2014). The plan is to mine underground in addition to two open-cut areas, extracting thermal coal for the export and domestic market, with construction proposed to start around 2016 (Cockatoo Coal Limited, 2013a). The open-cut mine life is planned for approximately 8 years with progressive rehabilitation occurring, and the longwall underground mine is planned to operate for 22 years, starting around project year 7 (KEPCO, 2014). KEPCO announced an EIS and a development application for submission to the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (now NSW Department of Planning and Environment) (Cockatoo Coal Limited, 2013b, p. 1) were being prepared in June 2014. NSW Department of Planning and Environment confirmed to KEPCO that an EIS needs to be lodged by 23 June 2016 or they must consult further with the Department (NSW Department of Planning and Environment, 2014b). No further announcements have been made regarding the EIS as at 20 May 2015.