Dalton gas power proposal lacks solid justification

AGL’s justification for its proposed 1,500 MW gas-fired power station for Dalton near Yass is based on outdated reports and fuzzy thinking, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye, who was unable to attend the Planning Assessment Commission’s hearing in Gunning today as Canberra airport was closed by fog, said: “The best AGL could come up with was three outdated reports, two of which have been comprehensively discredited.

“None bear any relevance to the energy needs of the next twenty years.

“Spending $1.5 billion on gas generation to satisfy the peak demand might make more money for AGL but spending a fraction of that amount on demand management would lead to lower power bills and a cleaner environment.

“The massive gas turbines would damage local air quality, impose unacceptable noise onto surrounding residents and make local roads much less safe. There is no secure source of water for the power station and good reason to suspect that the turbines would operate for much more than 5 percent of the time.

“Despite the damage the project would inflict on the health of residents and the local environment,  AGL had to rely on reports that have well and truly passed their use-by dates to justify the huge increase in generating capacity.

“The 2004 NSW Government Green paper is not only 8 years out-of-date but it also never made it past the draft stage. It did not become accepted policy. The paper was heavily criticised for failing to account for the lower cost opportunities for improving energy efficiency and better managing the demand.

“Projecting forward from a discredited 2004 document to the energy needs of the middle twenty-first century looks like an act of desperation.

“The 2007 Owen Inquiry suggested NSW would face the risk of widespread blackouts by 2013-14. This was ridiculed at the time and has proven to be entirely fanciful.

“Even the 2010 Statement of Opportunities report has been replaced by a more up-to-date forecast that suggests there is no need for new large scale capacity before 2018-19.

“None of these reports justifies the type of investment that AGL wants to make in Dalton.

“The energy giant will no doubt be making money out of the misfortune of NSW households who are trapped into paying for expensive infrastructure.

“Helping households reduce their demand, especially at peak times, would control the increase in bills and free up money for investment in schools, hospitals and other socially important infrastructure.

“Community submissions exposed a wide range of flaws in AGL’s Environmental Assessment.

“The Planning Assessment Commission should do much more than just reject AGL’s application.

“The independent development umpire should put on the record that NSW does not need more fossil fuel power stations and that demand management is a cheaper option,” Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455