“Prior to the September blackout, the South Australian Business Chamber had been a strong advocate for an independent review with robust international input to examine the costs and benefits of all options to transition our electricity network to low carbon while protecting reliability and price,” Executive Director, Industry and Government Engagement, Anthony Penney, said today.
“South Australia was the first Australian jurisdiction to really experience what a lack of comprehensive energy planning results in for consumers and today’s report is recognition that the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) have finally listened and acted on our concerns.”
The Finkel Review report has outlined a range of recommendations for an orderly transition to low carbon electricity, including a Clean Energy Target which would incentivise both new renewables and clean thermal generation in combination with 3 year notifications of future large generation plant closures. Whole of market transmission planning is also recommended, particularly in relation to renewable energy zones.
The report has also acknowledged the price pain felt by South Australian consumers, particularly businesses, and the need for a level of dispatchable electricity within each NEM jurisdiction as well as adequate competition for the provision of that firm power.
“The South Australian Business Chamber recognises that today’s report is not the end of the road but that Governments at a State and Federal Level need to negotiate the implementation of recommendations in good faith bearing in mind that time is of the essence,” Mr Penney said.
“The national electricity rules are clearly focussed on what is in the long-term interests of consumers and as the peak representative body for South Australian business, the South Australian Business Chamber cannot stress highly enough the need for COAG’s agreement on a strategic energy plan which takes the heat off businesses, particularly small to medium sized businesses choking with high prices.”
“The South Australian Business Chamber will be taking the time to consider all the detail of this plan through consultation with members and we encourage Governments to adequately consider all recommendations through proper process with a particular focus on affordability which unfortunately was not as strong a theme as anticipated.”
“It is in the best interests of every level of Government for Australia’s businesses to have access to reliable and competitively priced electricity and gas and certainty of the regulatory framework to encourage more competition is desperately needed.”
“Today’s report provides State and Federal Governments with a positive platform on which to agree a national strategic energy plan and we are cautiously optimistic that the greater good of providing electricity consumers relief will overcome short term political differences.”
“While the South Australian Business Chamber recognises the State Government has had to take some preliminary action to sure up reliability through its own energy plan, we now encourage a genuine collaboration with the other States and Federal Government to ensure a national plan is implemented which will ultimately be in the best interests of all consumers, including here in South Australia” he also said.
