Origin Energy will shut down the first generator of Eraring Power station in 2030, signalling the beginning of the end for the country's largest coal-fired generator.
The 2800 megawatt power station, which currently meets a quarter of the state's power needs, is due to cease production in 2032.
Origin recently advised the Australian Energy Market Operator that Eraring's number 4 unit will close in 2030, and its number 1 unit in 2031. The other two units will shut, as intended, in 2032.
However, those dates could be brought forward depending on developments in the rapid transition to renewable energy.
Origin unveiled plans in January to develop Australia's largest battery at Eraring as part of a plan to take pressure off the energy network and provide back-up for renewable energy generation.
The 700 megawatt battery will be able to send power into the grid for up to four hours at times when renewable sources are not available.
AGL plans to close its Upper Hunter Liddell power station in stages across 2022 and 2023.
The first of the power station's four 420 megawatt units will close next year, with the remaining three units expected to be brought offline in 2023.
Planning is also underway for the plant's demolition and the construction of a renewable energy hub.
Meanwhile, the company is spending $152 million on a maintenance and upgrade program at the adjacent Bayswater power station as part of plan to keep it running until 2035.
EnergyAustralia has brought forward the closure of the Yallourn brown coal generator to 2028, from 2032, while Vales Point on the Central Coast is due to close in 2029
Energy Security Board chair Kerry Schott recently warned coal generators were going broke.
"Those of you who are worried about coal retiring, please don't. It's happening, and it's happening for commercial reasons," Ms Schott said.
More than two million extra Australian homes were powered by new renewable energy generation last year as wind and solar projects hit record levels.
The Clean Energy Regulator estimates a record 7 gigawatts of new renewable capacity was installed throughout Australia in 2020 off the back of record rooftop solar investment. The investment was 11 per cent above the previous record of 6.3 gigawatts installed in the previous year.
The renewables boom has helped Australia deploy new renewable energy 10 times faster per capita than the global average and four times faster per capita than Europe, China, Japan or the United States.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has forecast strong investment in renewables to continue with an additional 24 gigawatts of rooftop solar by 2030, tripling the nation's small-scale solar generating capacity over the decade.
