Political storm over Port Augusta Northern Power Station grows as ash cloud continues to cause havoc to residents
THE Environment Minister has blamed the privatisation of SA’s electricity assets nearly 20 years ago for the ash cloud that is blanketing Port Augusta.
ENVIRONMENT Minister Ian Hunter says the concerned Port Augusta residents, whose city is blanketed in ash from the mothballed Northern Power Station, should blame it on the privatisation of the state’s electricity assets nearly 20 years ago.
As furious residents fear health problems associated with the ash, Mr Hunter on Tuesday issued a bizarre media statement blaming the Liberal Party’s privatisation of ETSA in 1999 and Flinders Power, the company responsible for the site which has been applying dust suppressant to its 250ha ash storage area to prevent dust being emitted in windy conditions.
Port Augusta Mayor Sam Johnson said he warned the Government 15 months ago there would be dust issues after the station closed.
He claimed Mr Hunter had been “caught with his pants down” by only acknowledging the problem once it had attracted the attention of The Advertiser on Tuesday.
“Ever since we had the announcement the station would close, we raised issues about the remediation of the site,” he said.
“You can’t close a power station operating for more than 60 years and expect not to have an environmental impact.
“We now need a proper plan — we don’t need Band Aid solutions.”
Recent windy conditions in the Mid North town had stirred up dust at the site and caused the ash cloud on Sunday.
“No one should have to bear and suffer what has happened at Port Augusta, particularly over the last two days,” Mr Johnson said.
“If this was happening in a marginal seat in Adelaide, the Government would be all over it and fixing it.”
In a statement (below), Mr Hunter said the ash problem was, in the first instance, the responsibility of Flinders Power.
“As minister, I have asked the EPA to meet representatives of Flinders Power as soon as possible to stress to the company that they have obligations under their licence,” Mr Hunter said.
Mr Hunter said the EPA had been working with Flinders Power to resolve the ash issue.
MEDIA STATEMENT FROM HON IAN HUNTER ML C
Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
Port Augusta residents and Flinders Power ash problem
The problem of ash blowing over Port Augusta and causing distress to local residents is one of the legacies left to South Australians by the Liberal Party privatisation of the State’s electricity assets.
Ensuring the ash is not a menace to the public is, in the first instance, the responsibility of Flinders Power.
The State Government does not operate the site of power station.
SA’s independent regulator, the Environment Protection Authority, licensed Flinders Power and predecessor entity Alinta to operate the power station.
Licence conditions include a program for closure and rehabilitation of the site.
As minister, I have asked the EPA to meet representatives of Flinders Power as soon as possible to stress to the company that they have obligations under their licence.
The Government believes the private company which was running the power station as a commercial operation must bear the cost of the clean-up.
It would not be fair to burden taxpayers with unnecessary costs.
It should be noted that the EPA has been working cooperatively with Flinders Power to resolve the ash problem.
Trials conducted in November were successful in creating a crust on the ash dam as a temporary solution pending permanent treatment of the ash.
However, the extraordinary and unpredicted deluge of rain on 28 December destroyed parts of the rust, leading to the current exposure of ash dust.
The EPA will report to me as soon as possible on immediate remedies to the issue as well as resumption of a capping program providing a permanent solution.