Tom Koutsantonis says Sunday’s solar shutdown proves $593m hydrogren plan is the right move

The state government says Sunday’s big solar farm shutdown shows why it’s right to spend $593 million dollars on our energy system.

Most of South Australia’s solar farms shut down on Sunday despite it being sunny, the State Government claiming the incident backs its plan to spend $593 million of taxpayer dollars on a new hydrogen plant.

A mix of fine Spring weather along with rooftop solar panels producing plenty of electricity led to the price being paid to electricity wholesalers plummeting, according to Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) figures.

AEMO data showed prices for the wholesale electricity market were negative from about 9:30am to 3:30pm on Sunday.

Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis claimed the shut down displayed how power from a hydrogen plant could fill gaps in the electricity grid rather than high-cost gas and coal suppliers.

Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis claims solar shutdown supports the government’s hydrogen plan. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Mr Koutsantonis also went on to partly blame the state’s high power bills on city dwellers having to help pay for power to reach the state’s country regions.

About half the cost of SA power bills covers transmission poles and wires along with distribution, he said.

Mr Koutsantonis’s comments drew the ire of Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero Stephen Patterson who claimed the government was shifting the blame for high electricity prices.

“The government’s expensive hydrogen plant is being used by them to push even more renewables into a saturated market, which is in turn creating an expensive energy grid that has meant South Australian households and small businesses are paying record high electricity prices,” Mr Patterson said.

A solar panel installation at Angaston. Picture: Supplied.

He also said the government should not be blaming country people for higher prices.

“The Labor Government has previously tried to blame high power bills on an east coast energy crisis, which has now been debunked, and now they’ve shifted their stance targeting our ‘country cousins’.

“They are the ones that are experiencing the impact of rising electricity bills first-hand and it’s time that the Labor Government accepts that their rush to renewables has been a key driver of these steep power prices.

“In the two and a half years since the Labor Government came into power the average residential electricity bill has skyrocketed by around $800 and small business bills have gone up by an average of nearly $1,700.”