NewsBite

Angela Macdonald-Smith

This Month

South Australia’s Northern coal power station in Port Augusta was closed in 2016 and subsequently blown up.

Power findings show ‘failure of privatisation’: SA energy minister

Minister Tom Koutsantonis says the behaviour of large power generators reported by the Australian Energy Regulator is “extremely concerning”.

The Yallourn coal station in Victoria. Coal and gas plants dominate the market when solar is offline.

Energy grid’s power imbalance could blow out bills, AER warns

In a review to be released on Friday, the energy regulator also said the government should consider the need to diversify ownership as it underwrote projects.

Project EnergyConnect will link South Australia’s grid to NSW’s.

Milestone reached to unlock Snowy 2.0 power

The government’s green bank has committed its single biggest investment to the HumeLink transmission project, which is considered critical to the cleaner energy transition.

Woodside’s North Rankin platform.

Woodside, Chevron in WA LNG shake-up

A deal between the pair should pave the way for more gas supplies to flow into the North West Shelf, while supporting dividend payouts to Woodside shareholders.

Australia is considering more new coal mines than any other country, despite climate protests.

Coal demand hits record with Australia bulking up

Australia is over-represented on the world stage as a source of new coal output, the International Energy Agency found.

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BHP suspended its WA nickel operations earlier this year after heavy losses, helping cut demand for gas in the state.

Nickel shutdowns ease WA’s gas shortage fears

While gas for Western Australia’s domestic users is adequate for the next few years, a shortfall may emerge in 2028, the market operator says.

APA’s AGM in October attracted protesters concerned about the development of Beetaloo gas.

New pipeline unlocks Beetaloo gas for NT customers in 2026

A deal signed with pipeline owner APA Group looks set to stoke controversy over the development of a massive new onshore gas resource.

EnergyAustralia executive, operations and projects, Sue Elliott, at the Mount Piper power station near Lithgow in NSW last Thursday.

EnergyAustralia’s fight for future of NSW coal plant

The large Mount Piper generator may be needed by the market for another 15 years, but in a vastly different role that will require policy support.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton (centre) flanked by shadow energy spokesman Ted O’Brien (l) and Nationals leader David Littleproud in Brisbane on Friday.

Any hope of a rational debate about nuclear power is gone

Households and businesses would be better served by a rational debate on the merits of including nuclear power in the future energy mix. They aren’t getting that.

Much less new transmission would be needed under the Coalition’s nuclear plan.

Dutton’s nuclear costings underpinned by ‘distorted numbers’

Critics point to what they call four miscalculations in the modelling by Frontier Economics.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape (r) and Anthony Smare, president of PNG Chamber of Resources and Energy, in Sydney on Tuesday.

PNG PM’s big hopes for delayed LNG project

James Marape reported “good progress” in reducing a 50 per cent cost blowout that delayed the Papua LNG project, but doubts remain on its timing.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape in Sydney on Tuesday.

Bigger than sport: PNG’s PM on getting an NRL team

James Marape, Papua New Guinea’s prime minister, says the bid to join the NRL goes way beyond sport and commerce for the country, and will also benefit Australia.

Potentia Energy CEO Werther Esposito in Sydney on Friday.

Revamped Potentia Energy scours market for big battery investments

The company once known as Enel Green Power Australia has plenty of cash to splash on renewable assets.

Peter Dutton’s nuclear policy is about to be tested.

CSIRO doubles down on nuclear power as too costly, slow

The science agency’s latest report on future energy needs comes just ahead of the long-awaited costings for Peter Dutton’s nuclear energy policy.

A BHP pilot boat near the mining giant’s iron ore facilities at Port Hedland in the Pilbara.

The Pilbara plots its path from diesel to clean, green mining

Port Hedland is bang in the middle of the country’s industrial engine. There are ambitious plans to decarbonise with miles of transmission and new generation.

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David Di Pilla.

Di Pilla finds big super backers as he clinches $950m clean energy buy

The veteran dealmaker’s HMC Capital is acquiring a portfolio of renewable generation assets from Neoen and becoming a major player in the energy transition.

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APA’s Port Hedland solar farm and battery project will help BHP cut emissions from its port operations.

APA plots path from gas to become a Pilbara solar and batteries giant

The company, which opened its latest electricity project in Port Hedland on Tuesday, expects to tick off on more investments in the region within a year.

More energy customers entered hardship programs in 2023-24 as cost-of-living pressures mount.

Household hardship mounts as energy prices increase

More households are entering hardship programs to try to keep with their energy bills, even as government rebates take the edge off sharp price rises in the past year.

“We have long raised concerns about the timing of Project Energy Connect,” Tom Koutsantonis, South Australia’s Minister for Energy and Mining, said.

South Australia in urgent bid to restart diesel power plants

A $2.3 billion power cable linking SA and NSW is behind schedule, stoking concerns that SA – which has no coal-fired power – could face reliability issues.

November

Tim Nelson and three other experts have been tasked with rewriting the rules for the National Energy Market.

‘Nothing’s off the table’: Expert panel to overhaul electricity market

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has tapped former AGL Energy executive Tim Nelson and three other industry specialists to review the National Energy Market.

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/angela-macdonald-smith-j7gcz