ENVIRONMENTAL group Friends of the Earth says it is likely people will be arrested during planned protest action at Hazelwood Power Station in September.
In an interview with The Express yesterday, group spokesperson Mara Bonacci would not comment on whether activists planned to break into the site and chain themselves to power station equipment.
``It may end up there are some arrests,'' Ms Bonacci said.
``It won't be because of violence, it's just sometimes you have to resort to those sorts of tactics to bring attention to the issue.''
International Power Hazelwood has pledged it will do ``all it can'' to protect Victoria's power supplies during the protest by the group it is calling ``extremist''.
Friends of the Earth has advertised the planned ``peaceful community mass civil disobedience'' on its website which states ``whether you are able, or not able to be arrested at this (protest), you have a very important part to play on the day''.
The group is calling for the community to protest at Hazelwood on 13 September against the use of brown coal for power generation and wants the government to shut the power station down.
Ms Bonacci said although the name of Friends of the Earth's campaign was `Switch off Hazelwood. Switch off Coal. Switch on Renewables', the group did not want the power station closed straight away.
``It's about bringing attention to the issue that Hazelwood is one of the most polluting minor power stations in the world,'' Ms Bonacci said.
``We want to keep jobs going with a transition to green renewable jobs.
``We want to work with the locals to see what can be done because we want a sustainable power industry.''
Ms Bonacci said activists would be ``trained'' the night before the protest to establish rules to ensure there was no violence.
``Hopefully there aren't too many renegades,'' she said.
``The aim of this is to be a family friendly community event.''
In a media statement an International Power spokesperson said while the company respected people's right to express their views on the power industry, ``their actions must not be allowed to compromise the safe working of the mine and power station which provides up to 25 per cent of Victoria's energy supplies''.
``We purchased this business in 1996 on the basis it having a 40-year life and we have invested hundreds of millions (of dollars) in thermal efficiency and environmental improvements since,'' the spokesperson said.
``Despite claims to the contrary, the International Power Hazelwood business was never scheduled to close this year. The Victorian Government approved an environmental effects statement in 2005 which confirmed Hazelwood's access to its coal supplies, realigned its mining boundary and allowed it to move road and river infrastructure.''
Hazelwood directly employs 900 people.
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