Hunter Power Project (Kurri Kurri Power Station)

I vehemently object to this proposal on the grounds that the governments and people of Australia should NOT be investing in any new climate damaging developments. My objection is supported by the recent report by the International Energy Agency, which found that the world should not be investing in any new gas or oil if we want to meet the climate change goals of the Paris Agreement.

Dear Planners,
I submit that this project is not required, 'does not stack up', and will be a waste of money.
The future is with renewable sources of energy and storage, not with new gas powered plants. The gas powered plants already operational will be sufficient for the required transition to renewables and storage.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Curry
GradDip Energy&Environment (ClimateChangeManagement), Murdoch University
BMedSc(hons), MBBS, FACEM, DTM&H
Clinical Associate Professor, UWA (retd.)
Emeritus Consultant, Fiona Stanley Hospital

Gas and fossil fuels came from dinosaurs and should be left as dinosaurs. No one is going to come back and save us from ourselves. We need to act promptly and deftly on climate change. More gas and fossil fuel projects are not the answer.

As a citizen of NSW I most strongly object to this proposal on a number of grounds. Here are the main ones:

1. The International Energy Agency has warned that there can be no new gas plants if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change.

2. The independence of the proposal is hugely questionable. Jeff McCloy gave evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption that he gave tens of thousands in secret donations to Liberal Party candidates and described himself as a "walking ATM". McCloy's company is set to own the land where the Kurri Kurri gas plant will be built.

3. The Kurri Kurri gas plant will be built less than an hour's drive from where an existing Commonwealth-owned gas plant uses less than 1% of its total capacity.

4. Even the Government's own Chair of Energy Security Board says the Kurri Kurri project "doesn't stack up, because it's expensive power". This is irresponsible government and not in the interest of the NSW people.

5. Economic and energy experts alike have slammed the Morrison Government’s announcement of a new gas-fired power station in NSW, labelling it an “appalling” waste of taxpayer money that will drive up electricity prices and cause irreparable environmental damage.

NSW cannot stand for this!
Thank you for the opportunity of making this submission.

The recent report by the International Energy Agency found that the world shouldn’t invest in any new gas or oil if we want to meet the climate change goals of the Paris Agreement. Gas is polluting and expensive, while battery-backed renewable energy is cheaper, cleaner and doesn’t drive catastrophic climate change! The New South Wales Government should know that this power station is a terrible idea, and they don’t need to follow Scott Morrison to the cliff he is leading us down.

It’s a terrible waste of money and it is not necessary!

This project has been proposed by the federal government on ideological grounds. Energy experts including regulators are near unanimous that it is not needed and will be uneconomic. The market has spoken by not stepping in to finance it. The proponent's nearby gas peaking plant currently runs at 1% of capacity, and arguments that this project is essential for grid reliability upon the closure of Liddell are baseless, particularly given that the operator of Liddell is replacing the coal with a big battery and renewable plant, plus there have been numerous other dispatchable energy project announcements since, including the Energy Australia gas peaker in the Illawarra.
And there's currently no gas supply to the site. The whole thing stinks of graft and corruption, given the cosy relationship between the Liberal party and the donor who owns the land. Shame on the NSW government for accepting this as a CSSI.

Please reject it to protect our tax dollars and prevent unnecessary greenhouse emissions. On the latter score, you have a duty of care to prevent the 500,000 tonnes of annual emissions forecast in the EIS, given the principles established in the recent Sharma vs Minister of Environment Federal Court judgement. We are watching.

This is an absurd project. The world is marching past Australia in renewable energy development and implementation. Fossil Fuels are the Yellow Pages of this decade. Just like the then Telstra board squeezing every last cent from the paper Yellow Pages product and failing to appreciate the opportunity to get in early with the most substantial online business directories in the world. The fossil fuel led retardation of renewables will have horrendous consequences for Australia. While H₂ is not as cost-effective as gas it is close enough to take advantage of our Central Australian almost 100% of days sunshine per year and start producing Green H₂. The opportunity a large scale production facility provides further research and development is of inestimably great value.

I wish to object on the following grounds:
Increased combustion of fossil fuels is incompatible with emissions reduction commitments
Proponent does not validly justify need for this power station
Proposed project does not deal adequately with pollution and contaminants
please see attached for fuller discussion and references.

The recent report by the International Energy Agency found that the world shouldn't invest in ANY new gas or oil if we want to meet the climate change goals of the Paris Agreement.
Australia has to stop acting as though what we do doesn't effect our world.
I am asking that we stop making the same types of mistakes that have caused climate change. It's time for a better way of dealing with our energy needs. Let's get out of the 19th and 20th Centuries and make way for a smarter world.
I want our Australian governments to sever the expensive ties that gas and oil have been enjoying at taxpayer's expense. Time to look forward and not backwards.
Please Rob Stokes, do the right thing and cancel this cancel this outdated proposal.

I'm objecting because the gas project is unnecessary according to the experts AEMO and many others. Public money should be invested in the construction of a national grid to connect renewable energy zones around the country. The federal court recently found that govt owes young Australians a duty of care when considering fossil fuel projects and their future climate impacts. Pursuing this project only increases the massive scale of intergenerational theft being committed against our children.

See attached file

I STRONGLY OBJECT to this project.
That my taxpayer dollars are to be used makes me doubly angry.
It is unconscionable that at a time when we need to swiftly and decicively move away from the use of fossil fuels and into renewable energy a project such as this one gets put forward by the Federal government.
The same day this project was announced the International Energy Agency delivered a report clearly stating that the world should not invest in ANY new gas or oil if we want to meet the goals of the Paris agreement of which Australia is a signatory.
Gas is polluting and expensive.
Calling it natural gas does not change the chemistry of this polluting fuel.
Renewable energy is demonstrably cheaper even when battery storage is factored in AND it does not drive catastrophic climate change. I also believe other ways to store intermittent renewable energy like compressed air silos and pumped hydro are exciting considerations as these technologues do not require the same high volume of rare earth metals as batteries. Green hydrogen is another storage option for portable 100% zero emissions fuel which could be used in transport and manufacturing given the correct government signals.
NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes, who is the final decision maker for this project, needs to take a stand and clearly state it is a terrible idea and that the $600M should be redirected to renewable energy storage as a way to firm up dispatchable energy for the electricity grid.

Projects like this that fly in the face of science and common sense using public money should be forced to a referendum. We, the voting and tax paying public, should be empowered to choose whether our money is used to bring about our own demise. Cliamte terrorists Angus Taylor and Scott Morrison cannot be allowed to destroy our future with their nefarious plans.

The fact that the private sector has not built a fossil fuelled power station and does not intend to in the future is proof that financially the project does not stack up either. Waste of taxpayer dollars.

Again I state my position on the new gas and diesel fuelled power station at Kurri Kurri called the Hunter Power Project:
STRONGLY OPPOSED

Please refer to the attached submission from the Climate Council of Australia, co-signed by over 9,000 Climate Council supporters. We strongly object to the Hunter Power Project proceeding.

There appears to be no credible business case for this project made by either Government. Energy experts and industry groups have been highly critical of the project claiming it will actually lead to higher electricity prices, as gas is more expensive than renewable alternatives, it is a Government intervention in the market and is a disincentive for private investment and planned and other gas projects make it redundant. The Federal Government has failed to provide a well supported business case for the project. This seems to be a political decision to buy a Federal seat. Using tax payers money for party political gains should not be tolerated . I call on the NSW Government to hold steady to their well considered plans for meeting NSW energy needs and show some integrity in not supporting this project. Supporting the development of hydro projects help meet the energy needs when as the Federal Government likes to say" when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing".
The project will make the NSW government's commitment to zero carbon emissions by 2050 impossible to achieve. The money could be so much better spent to amke a brighter future for the Hunter region and all NSW residents. I urge you to do what you know is right not a corrupt political move.

Climate Action Newcastle is a not-for-profit and non-aligned community group working to educate and empower the community to take action on climate change. We develop and promote climate change solutions to households, government and industry. Our members are committed local residents from all backgrounds.

Climate Action Newcastle oppose the proposed Hunter Power Project. The Project should not be approved by the New South Wales Government.

The NSW Government has committed to a strategy to transition rapidly to renewable energy generation and storage, effectively reducing Greenhouse gas emissions and creating secure and sustainable jobs. This commitment is clearly articulated in the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap enacted into law on 2 December 2020.[1]

Contrary to the claim made in the EIS (on page 58), the proposed Power Station is inconsistent with this NSW Government policy.

The Berejiklian government has pledged to support 12 gigawatts of wind and solar and 2 gigawatts of energy storage and to establish five Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) in the Central West Orana, Illawarra, New England, South West and Hunter-Central Coast regions. These Zones will deliver an intended network capacity of 12 gigawatts.

Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) are modern-day power stations. They combine renewable energy generation such as wind and solar, storage such as batteries, and high-voltage poles and wires to deliver energy to the homes, businesses and industries that need it.

The Roadmap aims to help NSW deliver on its ambitions to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and to reduce NSW electricity emissions by 90 million tonnes by 2030.

The NSW Government’s commitment to a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is also clearly articulated in the Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020–2030 Plan, which aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 by creating new jobs, cutting household costs and attracting investment. [2]

These policies have been welcomed by community stakeholders. [3]

Climate Action Newcastle welcomes the NSW Government commitment to, “lower the cost of electricity, create jobs in regional areas and avoid the state having to rush to build new generation as ageing coal plants closed in the years ahead”. [4]

The proposed Hunter Power Project is incompatible with the commitment made by NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean for NSW to become a “renewable energy superpower”. The Roadmap clearly differentiates the NSW Government’s approach to energy from the Commonwealth’s reliance on a “gas-led recovery”. It could see renewable energy increase from 16% of energy generated in NSW to more than 60%.

Climate Action Newcastle advocates meeting energy demand through a combination of renewable energy and battery storage. The EIS acknowledges that a combination of grid-scale batteries and fast-start-turbines could provide dispatchable capacity and meet demands when the needs of electricity consumers are highest (p.x). Further, the EIS states that “the cost of batteries is falling, making storage an increasingly commercially viable option” (p.52).

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The NSW Government has committed to reducing GHG emissions. Fuelled by diesel and gas, would emit 500,000 tonnes of CO2 each year for 30 years. As such, the project is inconsistent with NSW Government policy objectives.

Air pollution
The Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s most polluted airsheds. The extensive ambient air pollution monitoring network operated by the NSW Government records frequent exceedances of the national air quality (NEPM) standards. During 2019, health standards for particle pollution were breached more 1,000 times.[5] Evidence of air pollution exceedances and trends has been presented to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment on many occasions, as the Planning Commission has considered other major projects.

The health burden of air pollution on Hunter Valley communities was estimated to be approximately $600M per annum in 2015 [6]. A power plant fuelled by gas and diesel would worsen these impacts.

It is indicative of the very poor (and at times misleading) quality of the Project EIS that the consultants describe the Hunter Valley airshed as “suitable to receive emissions from a power station” (on page 83).

Sincerely

James Whelan
Committee member, Climate Action Newcastle 

References

[1] NSW Government Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap
https://energy.nsw.gov.au/government-and-regulation/electricity-infrastructure-roadmap
[2] NSW Government Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020–2030 Plan
the objective is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 by creating new jobs, cutting household costs and attracting investment.
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Climate-change/net-zero-plan-2020-2030-200057.pdf
[3] 10/22/20 ‘NSW Government releases ambitious renewable energy roadmap’, Sustainability Matters, https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/article/nsw-government-releases-ambitious-renewable-energy-roadmap-568667956
[4] 10/11/20 ‘NSW promises to build more renewable energy than Victoria and Queensland combined’, The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/10/nsw-promises-to-build-more-renewable-energy-than-victoria-and-queensland-combined
[5] 8/4/21 ‘Malcolm Turnbull accuses John Barilaro of ‘gaslighting’ with claim air quality data is manipulated’, The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/08/malcolm-turnbull-accuses-john-barilaro-of-gaslighting-with-claim-air-quality-data-is-manipulated

[6] Climate and Health Alliance, 2015, Coal and Health in the Hunter: Lessons from one valley for the world’ https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/caha/legacy_url/53/Climate-and-Health-Alliance_Report_Layout_PRINTv2.pdf?1439938112

I object to the project . I am local to the area.Please see the attachment for details

I am strongly opposed to the proposed Hunter gas and diesel fuelled power station to be located at Kurri Kurri.
Science has warned that we must stop using polluting fossil fuels. eg, I quote the Garnaut Climate Change Review’s Final report said projections of fire weather “suggest fire seasons will start earlier, end slightly later, and generally be more intense. This effect increases over time, but should be directly observable by 2020.”

Broadly, the report stated,”the weight of scientific evidence tells us that Australians are facing risks of damaging Climate Change.”

“The risks can be substantially reduced by strong, effective and early actions ball major economies. Australia will need to play its full proportionate part in global action. As one of the developed countries, its full part will be relatively large and involve major changes to established economic structures.”

One of the reports key recommendations was the implementation of an emissions trading scheme.

Conditions 'will keep on getting worse’

On Monday, SBS News asked Mr Garnaut his reaction to the current conditions, in light of the 2008 report. 

"It's one of sadness, that I was ineffective. Having been given the opportunity to talk to Australians on this issue, that I was ineffective in persuading Australians that it was in our national interest to play a positive role in a global effort to mitigate the effects of climate change," he said.

However, Mr Garnaut said, "although things are bad, they will keep on getting worse if the concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere keep increasing".

The report said there could be a 300 per cent increase in the number of days with extreme fire weather by 2067.

"It's in the interest of the whole of humanity that we move promptly towards zero net emissions," he said.

"Australia has a stronger interest in that than any other developed country because we are the most vulnerable of all developed countries.
"Australia will also be the biggest economic beneficiary of effective global mitigation because we have the best renewable energy resources and the best opportunities for capturing carbon in our geological and biological landscapes.”

I object

The power station will be an excellent addition to the township of Kurri Kurri and although only employing 10 people when in operation phase it will provide a significant boost to the town when in construction phase and will hopefully be a forerunner for other industries to go into the old smelter site. I live within 2.5 km of the proposed power station and having done extensive research and attended 3 CRG meetings have reached the conclusion that any negative impacts would be negligible.

Global organisations have told us we cannot start new fossil fuel projects to have a hope of a habitable world by the end of this century and beyond. There is a great future in renewable energy-based electrification and many guidance sources on that now available. Courts in this country and overseas are now clearly showing the risks of further fossil fuel reliance. I strongly object to this proposal. It has no merit and has failed to make a case to proceed. Please refuse it.