The Hon. Stephen Patterson, Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero (SA), Media Release, 21 May 2024

South Australians face increased risk of power blackouts over the next decade despite paying some of the highest electricity prices in the world, according to a new report.

The Australian Energy Market Operator report shows increased power grid reliability risks across the country over the coming years due to delays in major energy projects such as the SA-NSW interconnector and the local shutdown of gas and diesel-power generation.

Project EnergyConnect has blown out by a year and is now not expected to come online until July 2027. Once operational the interconnector will help increase energy reliability across the country and lower power bills for South Australians.

Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero Stephen Patterson said the report was further bad news for South Australians struggling through the cost of living crisis.

“The typical South Australian family is more than $20,000 a year worse off under the Malinauskas Labor Government,” Mr Patterson said.

“The year-long delay to Project EnergyConnect is extremely disappointing and energy reliability across the country will be worse off as a result. We also know that any thermal generation being removed from the grid is significant, and in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, less electricity being made available can only make electricity prices worse.

“South Australian households and businesses are paying some of the highest power prices in the world for a grid that is becoming increasingly less reliable.

“Peter Malinauskas and Anthony Albanese need to start prioritising power affordability and reliability not ideology. The Premier and the Prime Minister are chasing renewables at the expense of all other technologies and it’s South Australians who are paying the price.

“We need to have all power generation options on the table which is why the Opposition has been calling on Labor to initiate a non-ideological, open-minded investigation into nuclear energy generation in South Australia.

“We need to have a mature conversation about nuclear energy production in South Australia, working with experts to understand the opportunities and engaging our community along the way.

“It’s unbelievable that on one hand Peter Malinauskas criticises new-age nuclear energy generation because it’s an ‘evolving’ technology – yet he’s happy to forge ahead with a $600 million taxpayer-funded experimental hydrogen plant that Labor has admitted won’t lower power bills for households or small businesses.”