By Gavin Evans
Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Climate change protesters said they cut coal deliveries to Macquarie Generation's Bayswater power station, one of Australia's two largest generators, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) north of Sydney.
More than 30 protesters occupied coal conveyers and stockpiles at the 2,640 megawatt power station, environmental group Rising Tide Newcastle said today an e-mailed statement. Four activists padlocked themselves to the conveyer, bringing power production to halt, the Courier-Mail reported.
Australia relies on coal for about 80 percent of power generation. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent from 2000 levels by 2050 and has offered government support for generators to keep them operating while cleaner technologies are developed.
``Australia's greenhouse pollution is still increasing and our addiction to coal-fired power is the main cause,'' Rising Tide spokeswoman Georgina Wood said in the statement. ``Where is the plan to phase out facilities like these?''
Bayswater, near Muswellbrook in New South Wales, uses about 8 million tons of coal a year, according to the Web site of state government-owned Macquarie Generation.
Staff at the plant wouldn't comment on the station's output today. Company spokesman Rob Cooper wasn't immediately available to comment when Bloomberg News called his mobile phone.
To contact the reporter on this story: Gavin Evans in Wellington at gavinevans@bloomberg.net.
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