In response to the Minns Labor Government announcing it will engage with Origin Energy on the possibility of using public money to prop up the ageing Eraring coal power station beyond its 2025 closure date, the following comments can be attributed to Greenpeace Australia Pacific Chief Executive Officer David Ritter:
“Propping up an old polluting coal-burning power station with public money during both the climate and cost of living crises is bonkers. The Minns government must immediately rule out the possibility of spending taxpayer funds on keeping Eraring Power Station open beyond 2025.
We know that the best solution for delivering reliable electricity while slashing emissions and power bills is renewable energy, backed by battery storage. The NSW Government is rightly moving to speed up this transition to clean energy-but spending any public money on shoring up dirty, polluting coal would be a step backwards.
Burning coal, oil and gas is the number one driver of climate change. Keeping Eraring Power Station open longer than its slated closure date of 2025 would increase power bills, pollution and climate damage.
The Minns government can deliver win-win outcomes for energy reliability, power bills and the climate by ramping up the clean energy transition and helping households get off dirty, climate-wrecking gas-not by propping up costly, dirty old coal with taxpayer money.
