A water leak in the Yallourn Power Station open cut has worsened overnight, with water gushing into the mine after the Morwell River broke its banks earlier today.
While the operational section of the mine remains largely unaffected, large quantities of water surrounding electrical supply conveyor belt equipment has forced a shut down of the conveyors, according to a TruEnergy spokesperson.
Industry sources were quick to negate metropolitan media reports the Latrobe River, which runs along the north side of the mine, had broken its banks and was spilling into the mine, which the spokesperson later confirmed.
The spokesperson said the power station was running at a reduced capacity, with only one of four boiler units operating, and the company was working towards finding alternative means to transport the coal from the mine to the power station.
The Express reported yesterday evening a single conveyor belt had been closed after water from the Morwell River leaked into the housing tunnel yesterday afternoon, after which the mine was evacuated for safety reasons.
