Public ownership of Callide C would provide community certainty

The Queensland Conservation Council welcomes news that state-owned CS Energy is seeking to buy the remaining 50 per cent share of the Callide C coal station. The unreliable coal station is currently owned 50/50 by CS Energy and overseas corporations.

Dave Copeman, Director of the Queensland Conservation Council, said: 

Public ownership means more certainty to the community, workers and industry because at the end of the day the power stations are beholden to the people, not overseas shareholders.Queensland has been able to introduce the country's most comprehensive energy transformation plan because most of the state's coal-fired power stations are publicly owned so we have more control.We've seen in other states privately-owned coal stations have closed without offering enough notice to workers and without giving enough time for new clean energy supply to be built as replacement.

We know that coal power stations are on the way out and we need to pull all the levers at our disposal to make sure the energy transformation is well-planned for communities, workers and nature.

That's why we’re concerned about the State Opposition's lack of clarity on their plan for the energy transformation. They support the state's renewable energy targets, but voted against legislating the targets, public ownership, the Jobs guarantee and transition plan.

We can't achieve a renewable energy roll out that benefits communities and nature without policy certainty.

Banner: Damage to Unit C4 at Callide Power Station following the plant incident on 25 May 2021, image supplied by CS Energy

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