After an initial disruption by Greenpeace climate campaigners at the meeting, chairman Kenneth Moss told shareholders that following a planned restructure, Centennial would place a greater emphasis on the world-class Anvil Hill opencut project.

“Importantly, Centennial has continued to progress the approval processes for the world-class Anvil Hill opencut mine, which has the potential to underpin the company’s long-term profitable growth,” he said.

The proposed Anvil Hill mine would have a mine life of 21 years with a capacity of up to 10.5 million tonnes per year and could create full-time direct employment for up to 240 people.

During the year, Centennial lodged its project application and supporting environmental assessment for Anvil Hill with the NSW Government.

Following lodgement of the environmental assessment, an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (appointed by the NSW Government) has been convened and received public comment on Centennial’s proposal for the development of Anvil Hill.

“In parallel with this application process, much work has been done with regard to the optimisation of the final mine design and negotiations with our preferred contractor progressed,” Moss said.

“As we progress with the project, our confidence that Anvil Hill will be a world-class operation continues to grow and we look forward to first coal production in 2008.”

But Greenpeace energy campaigner Ben Pearson said climate campaigners at Centennial’s AGM sent a clear message to mining executives and shareholders that expanding the coal industry will not be allowed in an era of dangerous climate change.

“If we are serious about dealing with climate change then the coal industry cannot be allowed to expand. Coal causes climate change yet here is Centennial Coal meeting to discuss how they can produce even more coal,” Pearson said Friday.

Greenpeace and other environment groups are calling for an immediate moratorium on all new coal projects in NSW, starting with the rejection of Anvil Hill, and improved targets for renewable energy and pollution reduction.

But Moss seemed confident that Anvil Hill would be in production by 2008 and said Centennial’s application has been prepared to the highest standards of professionalism and has met all stipulated state and federal legal requirements for projects of this nature.

“We look forward to a favourable outcome of the Anvil Hill application, in the knowledge that the environmental assessment and project application have been subjected to a most rigorous approvals process in accordance with the law.”