Monday, July 2

For power or profits?

ARE AGL’s profit margins more important than Dalton residents’ quality of life?

This was the question many were asking at last week’s Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) public consultation meeting following revelations that the company’s justification for its proposed $1.5billion gas fired power station may be based on out dated information.

When the Post contacted the energy giant, a spokesperson said they would not comment on any of the public submissions. During her address, Member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson said the ‘Project Need and Justification’ section of the Director General’s Environmental Assessment Report was based on two reports published in 2007 that called for more energy developments to help meet future shortages.

However, Origin Energy’s decision to withdraw an application to build a similar gas fired power station at Big Hill was based on a report, authored earlier this year, which revealed that there would be an oversupply of energy in NSW by 2020.

“We have two diametrically opposed assessments on the future need for power supplies,” Minister Hodgkinson said.

“Dalton’s based on five year old reports and Origin’s report this year. This means the only other justification for the Dalton power station proposal is…AGL’s financial bottom line.”


Goulburn Post

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