Reports today that the revived State Electricity Commission’s (SEC) chief executive, Chris Miller, warned that power prices will continue to rise significantly are deeply concerning.
The Andrews Government announced plans to resurrect the SEC during last year’s State Election campaign, but the body is yet to find its first project or confirm when additional generation will enter the grid.
Mr Miller told the Australian Energy Week conference that “…getting to 95 per cent renewables in Victoria will require a large uptick in billed rates.”
This comes as the widely respected former chief scientist, Alan Finkel, quit the SEC’s advisory board for personal reasons, after earlier expressing concerns that the body could crowd out private sector investment.
While dismissing the reports as “wrong” this morning, Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, couldn’t tell Victorians when the first projectswould begin or when power prices would be reduced, instead claiming that they would otherwise be even higher.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources, David Hodgett, says the Andrews Government needs to stop making excuses and tell Victorians when they’ll get cheaper and more reliable power prices.
“The Andrews Government’s SEC is falling flat and failing to deliver the cheaper energy prices Victorians were promised,” Mr Hodgett said.
“Victoria needs a coordinated approach to energy that increases supply, gets power from where it is generated to where it is needed efficiently, and delivers affordable and sustainable energy for households and businesses.”
