Protesters gathered in Melbourne on August 8 to urge the replacement Hazelwood Power Station with renewable energy.

Australia's dirtiest power station, Hazelwood is owned by Engie France and Mitsui Japan.

According to the OECD it is one of the world's most polluting power stations, both in terms of the toxic cocktail of chemicals it daily emits and its carbon emissions.

Hazelwood is also Australia's least efficient power station and a major consumer of water: 1.31 megalitres of water is consumed per gigawatt hour of power generated.

It was the site of the devastating mine fire in 2014 that blanketed local communities in toxic smoke for weeks.

The parent companies are currently considering Hazelwood's future possibilities, including shutting it down.

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