The Shadow Minister for Energy Dr Steve Thomas says that Premier Roger Cook has let slip the Government’s plan to add gas capacity to the state’s electricity generation fleet in the medium term, following the Opposition into the use of additional gas as a firming fuel.
“I am pleased to see the Government take the obvious and necessary step to add more gas to the South West Interconnected System” Dr Thomas said.
“This will see the Government plan catch up with the Opposition one.”
On the 7th of August the Premier told the Parliament that:
“We believe that wind and energy storage and solar will play a key role in the interim period and that we do not need a new coal-fired power station today. We will need one at some point in the future as part of a firming program of renewable energy and energy storage, but the Australian Energy Market Operator has said in its projections that that is in the medium term, not in the immediate term.”
Dr Thomas said the Premier had mistakenly suggested another coal fires power station when he obviously meant another gas fired one, which he said was confirmed by the answer to his question yesterday (attached) in which Premier Cook confirmed “the use of gas as a firming fuel”.
“I don’t blame the Premier for the coal-gas mix up in his statement because energy is a highly complex area, although he could have answered my question properly” Dr Thomas said.
“I am simply pleased that the Government has caught up with the Opposition, because stability in energy policy is important to industry, who struggle with seismic shifts in policy.
“This is a wise move that is necessary to ensure the lights and air conditioners can stay on as we transition to a future energy model.
Dr Thomas said the only difference appeared to be who owned the new generation plants.
“I have suggested a Government owned gas fired power station, but I am completely open to a private company building and owning it as suggested by the Labor Party.
“I am quite comfortable with the Labor Government’s privatisation of energy assets, even if it is privatisation by stealth.
“As I have repeatedly said, we need to use gas as a transition fuel to get us to a cleaner energy future in coming decades, whatever that future looks like.
“Western Australia is a gas energy state, and we need to use our natural advantages to ensure we keep energy costs during the transition to a level that Western Australian consumers and families can afford.”
