HESC Project Partners, Japanese Government and diplomatic dignitaries, and Commonwealth, State and local government representatives gathered at the HESC Loy Yang plant site today to participate in a Cornerstone Laying ceremony to commemorate the start of construction.
In attendance at the ceremony were: The Honourable Tim Pallas MP, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, and Minister for Industrial Relations; H.E. Reiichiro Takahashi, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Australia; The Honourable Melina Bath MLC; representing Eastern Victoria; The Honourable Russell Northe MP, Member for Morwell; Mr Dan Clancy, Mayor of the Latrobe City Council; Mr Toshiyuki Shirai, Director, Advanced Energy Systems and Structure Division, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry [METI]; and, Mr Masayoshi Kitamura, Chairman, J-POWER.
Such ceremonies are traditional in Japan where foundation stones are laid at the start of construction of a new building or structure, along with a time capsule artefact. In this instance a document signed by Japanese, Commonwealth and Victorian government representatives was stored with the Cornerstone Box to acknowledge their support of the project and the journey to realise the end to end supply chain of brown coal to hydrogen.