The Queensland Conservation Council is today shocked by comments from Opposition Leader David Crisafulli that the LNP would consider keeping the Callide B coal power station operating past its end-of-life in 2028.
Callide B has been scheduled to close in 2028 for decades. Any move to extend its life would be technically challenging, a disaster for reducing Queensland's climate pollution and prohibitively expensive.
The Queensland LNP have not clarified their position on Queensland's renewable energy targets and have not released an energy plan. This is despite state-wide polling showing that 57% of Queenslanders agree we need to quickly bring online more renewable energy to prevent energy supply shortfalls and bring down power prices.
Queensland Conservation Council campaigner Stephanie Gray says:
"If the Queensland LNP is serious about climate action and reducing Queensland power bills the last thing they should be doing is plotting to keep retiring coal power stations open longer than their use-by-date.
"We have a strong pipeline of renewable energy projects in Queensland and with policy certainty we could easily build enough new generation to replace Callide B, which has been scheduled for closure for decades.
"We've recently seen the NSW Government offer up to $450 million to extend the life of the Eraring coal station by a few years. Doing the same in Queensland would be an eye-watering waste of taxpayer money when the Queensland LNP could just maintain policy certainty and support Queensland's existing renewable energy targets.
"This year renewable energy already supplied nearly 30% of Queensland's electricity. Due to Queensland's current targets, government investment, and energy plan, the Sunshine State is bucking the trends of other states and on track to meet our renewable targets.
"The State Government's current clear investment signals mean that a significant 3.6 GW of new renewable energy projects are committed and will be built over the next few years, but beyond that, we'll need policy certainty to drive investment.
"If the Opposition Leader chooses to snub a cheaper clean energy solution in favour of keeping a coal plant on life support, it shows that acting on climate change and reducing power bills is low down on his priority list."
