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No New Coal Power - No Electricty Privatisation
The NSW government is pressing ahead with plans to sell-off NSW’s electricity retailers and control over the state’s coal-fired power stations, and lure private investors into building two massive new coal-fired power stations, increasing NSW's electricty carbon emission by at least 18%
TAKE ACTION TODAY - - Send the Premier your 'No New Coal Power" message
Join the campaign for NO NEW COAL POWER IN NSW
The Greens have launched a campaign to stop new coal-power in NSW. Join the Greens and environment and climate action groups around NSW to help create a clean energy future:
- Collect signatures on the petition calling for a prohibition on new-coal fired power stations and a plan to phase out existing coal power in NSW. Send signed petitions back to John's office by 18 February 2010.
- Download the new flyer or contact John's office on 92302668 and we will send some to you. Check out the campaign tools page.
- Write to or visit you local state MP to express your opposition to new coal power and privatisation
- Write to the Premier to demand a prohibition on new coal-fired power stations and a publicly-owned, sustainable energy future. Use our online campaign page to send the Premier your 'No New Coal Power' message.
- Call you local talkback radio
Read John's submission to the Minister for Planning call for the proposals for new coal-fired power stations at Mt Piper and Bayswater to be refused. Click here
What's up for sale
Power station development sites
The Rees government has lodged plans with itself for new coal or gas powered baseload electricity generation at three sites:
- 2000 MW next to Mt Piper Power Station, near Lithgow
- 2000 MW next to Bayswater in the Upper Hunter
- 700 MW redevelopment at Munmorah on the Central Coast
New coal fired power plants operating on these sites would produce at least 30 million tonnes of CO2 each year. This would be an 18.6% increase in the state’s emissions, or the equivalent of 7 million new cars on the road.
Trading Rights for Power StationsJoe Tripodi is trying to privatise the right to sell the energy generated by the state-owned power stations for periods of twenty years. Under his plan the buyers will be given complete operational control over the generators.
Private owners will end up determining who works in power stations, how much energy they produce and how they are maintained. For two decades, the people of NSW will lose control over 37% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and the source of 90% of the state’s electricity.
Electricity RetailersThe retailing arms of state-owned Energy Australia, Integral Energy, and Country Energy sell electricity to 94% of NSW consumers. In other states and countries where privatisation has occurred, customer service has deteriorated and household electricity bills have skyrocketed. Jobs have been slashed and sent offshore. Corporate owners have no incentive to help customers conserve electricity and become more energy efficient. The more power they sell the more money they make.
Privatisation will be an environmental and economic disaster for NSW
Electricity privatisation and new coal power will mean
- Massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions
- Household power bills will rise as shareholder profits override the community’s interests
- Huge job loses in the electricity retailers and at the state-owned power stations
- Retailers and traders will try to push up energy consumption to boost profits
- Customer service will deteriorate and consumer protections will be undermined
Vision for a green energy future
Public ownership of the electricity industry gives NSW a unique
opportunity to become a world leader in the transition to renewable
energy and energy efficiency. Slashing emissions would create thousands
of new, high quality, unionised jobs.
The Greens support:
- Massive public investment in large-scale renewable power projects such as solar thermal generators and wind turbines that will secure energy supplies for the next fifty years.
- Publicly-owned retailers working with households to cut consumption and reduce bills, including assistance to low income families and individuals to purchase more energy efficient appliances and save power.
- A just transition to renewable energy to deliver new, high quality, unionised, sustainable jobs, particularly in areas dependent on polluting industries.
- Smart electricity grids that can manage energy demand to reduce power bills for consumers and save billions of dollars in investment in new distribution wires and poles.
- Subsidies for small-scale renewable energy systems including feed-in tariffs to help households and communities become a major part of the green energy revolution.
Recent news
Power need forecasts kick hole in case for sell-off and new stations
The annual forecast of electricity supply and demand issued by the Australian Energy Market Operator shows yet again that NSW does not need new coal-fired power stations or privatisation to keep the lights on, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye. ('Southern states better off than Queensland in power forecast', SMH Business Day 1 September p.3, http://bit.ly/smh100901)
NSW govt lacks vision for a zero carbon future
The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan launched in Sydney last night shows that the barriers to slashing the 60 million tonnes of CO2 produced each year by NSW's electricity generators are political, not technical.
NSW govt pushes ahead with new coal power without climate study
The Keneally government has failed to analyse the climate impacts of two new coal-fired power stations despite granting planning approval for them, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Keneally selling out households with power fire sale in China
Premier Kristina Keneally's trip to China is a desperate attempt to sell the state's electricity assets at bargain basement prices, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Baseload power needs myth goes critical
Land and Environment Court documents show that the Keneally government continues to rely on the dangerous and false myth that blackouts and brownouts will occur unless there is an increase in the state's baseload generating capacity.
Energy efficiency study highlights failed power policies
A study by the Energy Efficiency Council to be released today will highlight the urgent need to drop plans for new coal-fired power stations, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Treasurer fails to deny $7.6 billion lost if power sell off goes ahead
NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal refused to deny claims that keeping the state's electricity assets in public hands would be worth at least $7.6 billion to the budget bottom line over the next four years, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Environment and climate an afterthought in Keneally's first budget
Greens NSW MP and Treasury spokesperson John Kaye said: "The budget persists with the ‘clean coal’ myth while starving renewable energy of the funds the industry needs to break through.
Sydney’s desalination plant set up for privatisation
Moves to give Sydney’s desalination plant its own retail licence are the first step towards privatisation of the plant, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye. (‘Privatisation of desalination plant back on the agenda,’ SMH Business Day, 3 June 2010, p5, http://bit.ly/smh100603)
Keneally's power stations will make soaring greenhouse worse
Disturbing news of increases in the nation's greenhouse gas emissions puts yet more pressure on the Keneally government to abandon its plans for two new fossil fuel power stations, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
