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John Kaye: Need for new coal-fired power plants based on a lie

The NSW government’s approval for two new giant fossil fuel power stations is based on the big lie that they are needed to keep the lights on. They will drive up the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and destroy jobs in the renewable energy industry, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Commenting on Planning Minister Tony Kelly’s approval of the concept plans for 2,000 MW power plants at Mt Piper near Lithgow and Bayswater in the Upper Hunter, Dr Kaye said: “NSW does not need more baseload electricity generation to keep the lights on.

“The Owen inquiry was manufactured by the Iemma government to justify its privatisation agenda. The exaggerated claims of generation capacity shortages have been completely discredited.

“The latest data from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) shows that NSW has sufficient baseload capacity for reliable supply beyond 2016.

“It is highly improbable that Mt Piper will be gas powered given the distance to the nearest pipeline and the costs of connecting up supply.

“Even Bayswater is much more likely to be coal-fired. Risks of substantial price rises resulting from an East Coast gas export terminal will make gas a much less attractive fuel, even if the Senate passes the Rudd government’s highly ineffective Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

“Coal-fired stations will increase the state’s greenhouse gas emission by 15.1 per cent and gas by 7.1 percent.

“This is an unacceptable increase to the state’s burden on the climate.

“The Keneally government is turning NSW into an international greenhouse pariah.

 

Read more at  http://www.johnkaye.org.au/media/need-for-new-coal-fired-power-plants-based-on-a-big-lie