Gloom in the valley as Hazelwood fades to black | Gay Alcorn

Gay Alcorn meets the people of the Latrobe Valley facing an uncertain future as the power station that has sustained their community closes after 52 years

" Snuffed out: the last days of Hazelwood power station - in pictures

It could be black humour. The faded, red HAZELWOOD sign has been switched off for years - perhaps to save electricity, who knows? - but a fortnight ago it was turned back on. HAZELVOOD now lights up the night sky in neon for miles. The letter W is dodgy, but nobody could be bothered to fix it now.

It's not a joke. It's sentimental, a kind of tribute instantly understood by the people of the Latrobe Valley east of Melbourne. On Friday, the Hazelwood power station will close after 52 years, its deafening hum silent, its boilers cooling, its eight stacks idle, its gigantic dredges ceasing to dig coal around the clock. Most of the workforce will be gone too.