<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A pair of famous chimney stacks, which defined the architecture of Liddell Power Station in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-south-wales" rel="" target="_blank" title="NSW"><span>NSW</span></a><span> Hunter Valley for 52 years, have now been reduced to rubble.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Energy giant AGL orchestrated a controlled demolition of the pair of 168-metre chimneys as the site undergoes a major demolition and redevelopment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>AGL hosted a livestream of the demolition and hundreds of people watched in real-time as the structures crumbled to the ground after explosives were detonated at the base.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/second-cohort-of-isis-brides-to-land-in-sydney-tomorrow/ef2e7855-ec92-493a-80d6-3e72f0568000" rel="" target="_blank" title="Seven 'ISIS brides' and 12 children expected to arrive in Sydney within hours"><strong><span>Seven 'ISIS brides' and 12 children expected to arrive in Sydney within hours</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-may-26-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/596b4138-b57a-4af3-9600-d54fd9beda8c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran will not retreat, top security official says in first message to Iranian public</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The chimneys came crashing down a little after 11am today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rest of the station will be demolished following the twin chimney blast.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/liddell-power-station-chimney-stack-demolished/4acfe7bf-a89b-4f0c-b789-a05962b38eb8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The New England Highway was closed temporarily ahead of the detonation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Liddell Power Station was opened near Muswellbrook in 1971.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The coal-fired power station was then decommissioned in April 2023 after 52 years and early demolition began in early 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-weather-update-rain-forecast-for-every-state-and-territory/4e67a7dc-86e5-4663-8390-faca0e100a41" target="_blank"><strong><span>Rain to soak every state as multiple low-pressure systems collide</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Over the past 18 months, the site has been slowly cleaned out and disconnected.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The demolition of the Liddell Power Station is a large and complex project that will be executed by a specialist team following years of planning," AGL said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The site will be redeveloped by AGL into a new industrial energy hub, which will include a 500 MW grid-scale battery.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Over half of the employees at the Liddell site were transfered to AGL's Bayswater location, while the remaining staff have either left the company or transitioned into retirement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Liddell electrical tradesperson Jackson Channon said Liddell's demolition has been "bittersweet" for his colleagues and family.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"My grandfather drove one of the trucks when they were building Liddell, and my parents worked here – this place has meant a lot to my family, and for the people who work here, it's like a community of mates," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 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