Plans were in the works to construct a coal fired power station on Jervis Bay.

The news caused such outrage in the region that Shoalhaven City Mayor at the time, Greg Watson, the following statement in the Shoalhaven and Nowra News on March 10, 1982.

"Many of the city's residents have been concerned that the Electricity Commission may be considering locating a power station in that general area," Watson said.

"I am of the opinion that power stations, without a doubt, are one of the dirtiest industries I have seen.

"There has been significant publicity given to a coal survey being undertaken by the NSW Electricity Commission in the Shoalhaven area recently.

"As a result of council's concern that any exploration be properly regulated, two employees of the Electricity Commission were invited to address the council meeting last Monday.

"It is, of course, a well-known fact that in the Port study that was undertaken on Jervis Bay during the time of the proposed Armco Steelworks, a power station site was identified east of Callala Bay.

"I recently flew over the Tallawarra Power Station at Albion Park and was shocked at the amount of sludge coming from the station.

"I believe that unless it is completely in the national interest that a station be built on Jervis Bay, that we should resist it quite strenuously.

"In the early 1970s a select committee of enquiry took evidence into Jervis Bay and made certain recommendations as to its use.

"The select committee determined that they believed Jervis Bay should be retained as a recreational facility to provide for the recreation needs of the major urban centres in New South Wales.

"This is a view which is shared by the council."

The establishment of power stations in the Shoalhaven district has been a subject under consideration for almost 100 years. The Shoalhaven River was looked at in 1920 to ascertain whether it could be used for a hydro power scheme.