The federal government has given the environmental green light to a $600m power plant at Kurri Kurri in NSW’s Hunter Valley, days after Labor did an about-face on its calls to halt the project.
The decision means development of the Hunter Power Project – a 660MW capacity gas-fired power plant – will go ahead after Labor withdrew its opposition to the project on the proviso it runs entirely on green hydrogen by the end of the decade.
Environment Minister Sussan Ley announced the project had been given approval on Monday following a rigorous assessment and on the condition that Snowy Hydro Limited meets the NSW’s government’s conditions set when it approved the project. “This thorough bilateral assessment with NSW has paved the way for the development and operation of this critical infrastructure in a way that sensitively manages, protects and rehabilitates the environment,” Ms Ley said.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor said the plant would ensure energy supplies were sufficient and would create local jobs in the Hunter Region.
Read the full article published in The Australian 6th February 2022