Poll : No Public Cash For Liddell Power Station Life Support

Results from a recent poll indicate 77% of Australians believe public money should not be used to keep coal-fired clunker Liddell Power Station open past 2022.

ReachTEL conducted a survey of 2,176 residents across Australia last week. The Climate Council commissioned poll revealed 51% also believed keeping Liddell Power Station past its use-by date would push up their energy bills.

“Australians are practical people, and given the choice of putting a billion dollar band aid on old lady Liddell, or rolling out new lower cost, clean technologies – it’s a no brainer,” said Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie. “The public has made its mind up on Liddell – and more broadly on the future energy direction of the country. Now it’s up to our elected leaders to listen and act.”

So, what should replace Liddell? The most popular option chosen by respondents (59%) was the introduction of a Clean Energy Target policy to encourage new renewable energy to take the place of the coal-fired generator.

However, there have been concerns the Government is attempting to turn the CET as intended by Chief Scientist Dr. Alan Finkel into a Coal Energy Target.

The Climate Council states  new coal-fired power stations are twice as costly as wind – and more expensive than solar power. The numbers no longer stack up for the little black (or brown) rock that is wreaking so much havoc on the planet and on human health.

Last week, AGL said it was “fighting a losing battle” with at Liddell; with ongoing turbine, boiler and conveyor belt issues plaguing the plant. The company insists it wants to shutter the plant in 2022.

Coal power supporters Tony Abbott and Craig Kelly are keen to see it stay open past that date. Recently, Mr. Kelly said AGL was “speaking with forked tongue” in wanting to close the facility.

To keep the plant running for another decade could cost approximately $900 million – and that doesn’t ensure reliability. AGL has already forked out a large chunk of change on the facility (after acquiring it for $0) – and that didn’t prevent it failing during the February 2017 heatwave.

The Climate Council notes 47% of Liberal and 82% of Labor voters agreed that it was time for Australia’s oldest working power station to be replaced with renewable energy.