Waratah Coal Pty Ltd, owned by billionaire Clive Palmer, has quietly applied to build a new coal fired power station adjacent to his proposed Galilee Coal Project mine, north east of Alpha in Central Queensland.
According to Development Application documents, the 1,400 MW ultra-supercritical power station will be built adjacent to the proposed Galilee Coal Project, a 40mt/y coal mine near Alpha in central Queensland.
Waratah Coal’s documents say the power station will supply electricity to the local township of Alpha, the national electricity market, and to new coal mines in the Galilee Basin, which could include the controversial Adani Carmichael Coal Mine (Bravus).
Australia and Queensland can not afford another polluting - climate wrecking - coal fired power station. In recent years, the Great Barrier Reef has suffered from ocean temperature rise causing massive coral bleaching and death to large parts of the Great Barrier Reef.
We need your help to stop this new, dirty coal power station
Clive Palmer's company Waratah Coal is quietly seeking approval from a local council for a new coal-fired power station in Central Queensland. #abc730 @michaelatkin https://t.co/G5gaGU3t7R
— abc730 (@abc730) September 22, 2021
The 2019-2020 black summer fires swept across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria that claimed many lives and the estimated deaths of three billion animals. These climate disasters are testament to the fact the burning of coal for electricity must be phased out. Australia is rich in solar and wind renewable energy opportunities, and Queensland is developing three renewable energy zones to facilitate the rapid expansion of clean renewable energy solutions.
Waratah Coal’s proposed Galilee Power Station will emit 810 kg of CO2-e/MWh and run for 50 years. Development of new dirty coal power station will limit Australia’s ability to fulfil its international greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets. It will make it impossible for Queensland to meet its Climate Action Plan targets announced in July 2021.
Clive Palmer owned Waratah Coal is working to have this dirty coal power station approved via an obscure planning process. The small rural council (Barcaldine Regional Council) is the decision maker on the Development Application. Where there is no impact assessment undertaken, no climate change impacts considered, and where the locals are not consulted.
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In the words of the Barcaldine mayor:
"Mind boggling the state hasn't coordinated the mine and power station together... they've left it to us... They've left it to us, the only reason I can think of to do that is politically sensitive nature of not just a power station, but a coal power station. It places a heightened degree of responsibility on Council planning process...”
And a separate comment in the same meeting, from another person:
“We are unfortunately operating under an extremely dated process for that area that doesn't necessarily recognise the real potential impacts of heavy industrial activities.”
The Queensland Government has the ability to refuse Waratah Coal’s proposed 1400 mega-watt coal fired power station, but has yet to do so.
It’s time to take action. Write to the Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Steven Miles, and ask him to “call in’ this project and ensure its impacts to our shared climate, the Great Barrier Reef, communities and future generations are properly assessed.
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