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Yallourn stems tide of floodwaters

The Morwell River diversion collapsed following heavy rain, sending water flooding into the mine. - ABC

The owner of the Yallourn power station says it is slowing the amount of water pouring into its open cut mine.

The Morwell River has been flowing into the mine since a man-made levee collapsed early last month.

TRUenergy spokesman Michael Hutchinson says it will take up to eight months to fix the levee.

He says workers have managed to divert some of the water through pipes into the nearby Latrobe River.

But they are now pumping out more water than is coming into the mine.

"We are putting in additional pipes and pumps," Mr Hutchinson told

"So by the middle of next month we will be able to transfer effectively 120 per cent of the normal average Morwell River flows river to river through large pipes and pumps.

"We're investing in making sure that we can continue our operation and fix the problem."

The coal conveyor that transports coal between the mine and the power station is also working again.

It was knocked out following the heavy rain and the collapse of the river diversion last month.

Mr Hutchinson says three of the four power generators at Yallourn have now been restarted.

"We're at 75 per cent of capacity and moving up," he said.


- ABC

© ABC 2012

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