Muja Workforce Transition Program

Synergy is innovating and adapting its operations to deliver more sustainable energy solutions for a new energy future as Western Australians embrace renewable energy technology at record rates, reducing demand for traditional electricity generation sources. To address the challenges posed by this , the State Government has announced Synergy’s coal-fired Muja and Collie power stations will be retired by 2030.

Synergy is a people-focused organisation and we have taken a collaborative, people-first approach to industry transition since 2019, when the State Government announced Muja C would be retired by October 2024 in a staged approach to support reliable and affordable electricity supplies.

All Synergy employees affected by the known closure dates of Muja Power Station C Units have long-term transition plans in place to ensure nobody gets left behind as part of our Workforce Transition Program. We will collaborate with our workforce, unions and the wider Collie community to support them in the same way, as we prepare Muja and Collie power stations for retirement.

To develop this program, we collaborated with members of our team who will be impacted by the energy transition, taking a people-first approach based on their insights and needs.

Everyone’s circumstances are unique – so we are working with each employee to develop their own personalised Individual Transition Plan. Each plan includes tailored support, services and resources to help them transition along one of several pathways:

• Retirement
• A new role within Synergy
• Further opportunities beyond Synergy

Support for the Collie community

As WA’s energy generation shifts away from coal-powered energy, our customers, employees and other members of the Collie community will face a number of challenges and adjustments. 

To attract new industries to Collie and support future jobs in the region, the WA Government launched the Just Transition Working Group in 2019. This group, which includes Synergy as a member, is made up of community representatives, industry stakeholders, unions and government bodies; working together to make sure the people most impacted by the changes are considered. 

The working group applies the internationally-recognised Just Transition framework in Collie’s Just Transition Plan for carbon-intensive industries, to help minimise negative impacts and make the most of new opportunities.

The Just Transition Plan  has four focus areas: 

1. Maximising opportunities for affected workers 
2.  Diversifying the local economy
3. Celebrating Collie’s history and promoting its future
4. Committing to a Just Transition

At Synergy, our focus is on creating a supportive and just transition for our people, their families and their local communities as part of Collie’s broader transition.