General Discussions

[ElwoodBlues1]

Interesting article about the impending closure of Eraring, the biggest coal-fired power station in Australia. Renewable power has resulted in the closure being brought forward by 7 years to 2025.

Switching off, abc.net.au

The article shows how badly the shutdown will affect the workers at the plant and the local businesses which rely upon it. It also notes how well Germany handled the transition from fossil fuel energy generation to renewables and how badly governments handle the transition. The Germans made sure the transition would unfold over 50 years. Our transitions happen almost overnight.

But the fact that the power plant is going to be replaced by a battery is a pretty clear indication that nuclear power has no chance of taking off in Australia. The power plant is called Eraring after Lake Eraring, a plentiful supply of water. It also has the facilities to step up power to transmit it to the grid. After all, it supplies 20% of NSW's power. It's also in a regional location, so it wouldn't attract too many NIMBY complaints. I'd imagine the local residents would prefer the power plant to be replaced by another power station that would bring jobs with it, whereas the battery will only involve a construction crew of 128 and only 10 jobs once it's completed.

Yallourn is also closing by 2028 and will again be replaced by a battery:  Energy Australia to close Yallourn power station early and build 350 megawatt battery, abc.net.au.

The bottom line is what is driving this is not some almighty love of renewables by the owners....Energy Aust is the Chinese Light and Power company who couldnt give a flying feck about Aus Jobs, people or renewables. Its what makes them the most money for the least possible outlay, controlled by the mega rich Kadoorie clan who also own the Hong Kong Nuclear Investment Company so I wouldnt be getting too comfortable about no nukes down the track.
Origin are an listed ASX company and beholding to its shareholders and its two main shareholders are JP Morgans and HSBC Nominees Aus who are all Investment bankers which again is bottom line stuff so they wont be doing whats best for Australia and will be looking after their shareholders and directors. Management have always been diabolical although the new lot seem better than before...
An interesting side issue is the bid by the Canadian group Brookfield and Zillionaire Mike Cannon Brooks to takeover AGL and make the dirtiest power company in Aus the greenest by 2030...1st bid knocked back by the AGL board and rightly so but then knocked back the second bid as well.
These two entities do have the dough to make fossil fuel power station closures quicker and deliver on the renewable replacement equipment but want the business cheap and the Aus Govts policy is for coal powered plants to run their course.
There has to be middle ground in this where Brookefield/Cannon Brookes can guarantee employment for workers who lose their jobs and also make their offer more appealing which in turn who allow Government approval.
The Government dont have the money to make this project happen so it needs the money from these other sources and its worth looking at IMO and I'd rather Canadians owning part of the power grid supply than the Chinese.
Brookfield already own Ausnet an old employer of mine...