A new energy plan without Pioneer-Burdekin should be a 100 day deliverable

Queensland Conservation Council is calling for an energy plan to be a first order priority of the new Government, and for David Crisafulli to release the new Government’s updated energy plan to deliver a 100% renewables system without Pioneer Burdekin Pumped Hydro Energy System within its first 100 days.

QCC Director, Dave Copeman said:

The new Government has ruled out the Pioneer Burdekin pumped hydro project, and indicated that they will instead build 5 to 6 smaller pumped hydro energy systems. Right now we don’t have any information at all on these projects including their location, environment and community impact, feasibility and cost.

Queensland has an energy transition plan in the Energy and Jobs Plan and now Queenslanders and industry are back facing uncertainty.

We can’t afford to delay our energy transition. Queensland’s coal-fired power stations are ageing, increasingly unreliable and will rack up increasing maintenance costs. Every tonne of coal they burn further endangers the Great Barrier Reef and drives climate change.

To provide communities and investors with certainty, we are calling on the LNP State Government to prioritise the release of their energy plan within the first 100 days of their government.

The new government has committed to a plan in 100 days for an Olympics stadium that will be used for less than a month in 2032. Surely the future of our entire electricity grid deserves the same urgency and attention.

We believe the direction of Queensland’s energy transition is the most consequential economic decision this government will make because it will have a massive impact on Queensland’s economy, regional prosperity and energy bills.

The Energy Department and Queensland Hydro have been on notice since April this year that an LNP Government would not proceed with Pioneer Burdekin, and have had plenty of time to prepare for an alternative.

There is no excuse not to prioritise this plan for Queenslanders.

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