Crisafulli keeping Callide B open would cement power bill shock for Queenslanders

Queensland Conservation Council

1 October 2024

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.

Crisafulli’s comments today come as a new report finds Queensland power bills could rise by up to $200 in 2028 if the LNP scraps Queensland’s renewable energy targets and not enough renewable energy supply is built to replace the retiring Callide B coal power station.

The analysis by the Queensland Conservation Council found that current policy settings and government investment mean that Queensland is on track to replace Callide B, but wholesale electricity prices could rise by up to 36% if policy uncertainty delays new renewable projects.

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.”

Additional interviews: Cost-of-living case study and industry spokesperson available for interview.

Media contact: Ellie McLachlan, 0407 753 830

Statistics from state-wide polling of 2,221 Queenslanders referenced above:

The majority (57%) agree we need to bring more renewables online quickly to prevent supply shortfalls and bring down power prices, including 53% of regional Queenslanders.
54% support Queensland’s current renewable energy targets or think they should be set higher, with 14% unsure. Those over 54 are more likely to say we shouldn’t have renewable energy targets at all (24%) compared to 18-25 year olds (5%).
More regional Queenslanders support the current renewable energy targets or think they should be set higher (49%) compared to those that think they should be lower or non-existent (36%).
54% agree that all major political parties should support the current renewables targets or campaign for higher ones, with 22% saying they don’t know.
57% agree the current renewable energy targets should be maintained to encourage investment in clean energy, with 23% saying they don’t know.
52% agree that maintaining the current renewable energy targets will help establish new clean manufacturing industries in Queensland, with 29% unsure. The largest share (49%) of regional Queenslanders agree whereas 30% don’t know.

Polling commissioned by Queensland Conservation Council and conducted by DemosAU between 1 and 7 August 2024.

Polling was based on a sample of 2,221 Queensland adults aged 18+ who are eligible and intending to vote at the upcoming October 2024 State Election.

ENDS

Contact details:

Ellie McLachlan - 0407 753 830 - ellie.mclachlan@qldconservation.org.au

Stephanie Gray - 0425 543 006 - stephanie.gray@qldconservation.org.au