Orica has suspended the restart of its ammonia plant at Kooragang Island because one part of the plant is not operating to a satisfactory level. Orica said that the community, employees and environment were at no point at any risk as a result of the issue.
During the restart of the plant, the part of the plant that removes carbon dioxide as a byproduct was not working properly. The restart was suspended and investigations into the cause of the issue have commenced.
Site Manager Sean Winstone said: “We have said all along that we will take whatever time is required to restart the plant safely, and that we want to be assured the plant will perform properly for the long term. We will now investigate and remedy the issue before again resuming the restart. Restarting a plant the size of Kooragang Island is a complex process and it is not uncommon for issues of this nature to occur.”