Overburden was stripped and backfilled into the mined area by earthmoving contractors, using conventional power shovels and trucks.

[8] Carbon Monitoring for Action estimated that the power station emitted 1.21 million tonnes (1.19×10^6 long tons) of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning the coal.

[9] The Anglesea power station drew its cooling water from six sub-artesian well bores, supplemented with rainwater.

[2] In May 2015, Alcoa announced that it was unable to find a buyer for the plant, and would close it and the associated coal mine in August 2015.

Since 2011, Alcoa and the Anglesea power station had come under increasing local criticism, with residents forming the Surf Coast Air Action group concerned with health impacts of air pollution from the mine and power station.

[12][13] In a December 2013 submission to the Essential Services Commission, Friends of the Earth Australia argued that Alcoa should not be granted a licence to directly sell power to the National Electricity Market for four reasons: no additional coal-fired power was needed, Alcoa has no social licence to operate in the energy market, local health concerns, and that continuing operation of the power station undermined efforts to tackle climate change.

[16] On 10 August 2014, several hundred people attended a rally and march calling for the coal mine and power station to be closed.