Kogan Creek Queensland On the 20th May Premier Beattie announced that the Kogan Creek coal fired power station would go ahead. Kogan Creek is 100% owned by CS Energy - which is owned by the Queensland government. To be built near Chinchilla, in south east Queensland, the Kogan Creek coal fired power station will consume 3 mega tonne of coal and emit 5.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually. This is the same as doubling the number of passenger cars on Queensland roads. Why build Kogan Creek? "Demand for electricity in Queensland is growing faster than in any other state and Kogan Creek Power project will ensure there is capacity in the system to handle a summer like we have just experienced." (CS Energy Acting CE, Richard Boys, CSE Media Release). Queensland has the highest rate of summer demand growth in Australia at 3.5%, more than NSW at 3.1 % and Victoria 2.6% (Courier Mail) Energy efficiency is cheaper than a new power station, and would create more new jobs. The National Framework on Energy Efficiency discussion paper says "Energy consumption in the manufacturing, commercial and residential sectors can be reduced by 20-30% with current commercially available technologies with an average payback of four years." and that "Up to 9,000 jobs would be created by accelerating investment in energy efficiency." Queensland was promised renewable energy. In 2000, Premier Beattie announced a forward looking new Energy Policy for a smart state. The key feature of the policy was that by 2005, 15% of all electricity must come from sources other than coal (about 2% from renewables, and 13 percent from gas). Premier Beattie told Queenslanders there would be no new coal fired power stations except under unspecified exceptional circumstances. Project Details 750MW nominal capacity single unit coal-fired power station incorporating advanced supercritical technology and air cooling (often referred to as “dry cooling”). “The baseload station, generating 750 MW of electricity, is forecast to provide 7% of Queensland’s demand” (Premier Beattie MR). KCPP will be constructed by a consortium of Siemens and Hitachi under an engineer, procure, construct contract. A new 2.8 million tonne per annum coal mine, immediately adjacent to the power station, delivering coal via a 4km conveyor belt. A 28 km, 275kV transmission line connecting the power station to the National Electricity Market at the Braemar switching station on the Qld-NSW Interconnector (QNI). The project will be located 20 km south of Chinchilla and will be the largest single generating unit in Australia. (in the National Electricity Market) KCPP will generate electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will supply power to both Queensland and NSW. Construction will take about 3 years with peak employment of more than 1000 people. When operational, the Power Station will employ about 70 people, and the mine a further 50 people. 40% of the value of the Project will be carried out by Australian contractors. Kogan Creek Power Station will be one of the lowest cost producers in the National Electricity Market. Work on the Kogan Creek site will start in the latter half of 2004 Greenhouse Impacts Coal fired power stations are Australia’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions The Kogan Creek coal fired power station will product 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gas a year. This is the equivalent to doubling the number of passenger cars on Queensland's roads. It is carbon dioxide emissions that are slowly bleaching the Great Barrier Reef to death. Recent studies predict that climate change induced coral bleaching could destroy 95% of the Reef by 2050. 30 March 2004 – ABARE estimated Queensland’s tree clearing package may reduce greenhouse gas by 25 million tonnes per year. Premier Peter Beattie said: “A new Queensland Government analysis shows the clearing bank will make Queenslanders world leaders in greenhouse gas reduction, based on our population.” Equivalent to taking two cars off the road fore ever person in Queensland – a staggering total of more than 7 million cars per year. “Amid mounting evidence of the harm caused by global warming – to health, lifestyle, the economy and the environment – Queenslanders are making an important contribution to the future of the planet” Mr Beattie said (PB Tree Clearing MR 30 3 04) . Contact - QLD Toby Hutcheon Queensland Conservation Council (07) 3221 0188 greenhouse@qccqld.org.au