Western Australia’s peak environment group has called on all political parties to commit to a managed closure of Muja Power Station in Collie and other unnecessary and polluting coal-fired power plants in WA.
The Conservation Council of WA is responding to the announcement this morning that the Hazelwood Power Station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley will be closed next year.
CCWA Director Piers Verstegen said, “The writing is on the wall for our dirty coal generators here in WA.
“These dinosaurs of the coal era need to be phased out as soon as possible, however their closure must be managed properly to ensure a just transition for Collie workers and the Collie community.
“Hazelwood is the dirtiest power station in Australia and one of the dirtiest in the world, however our own Muja units in Collie are equally inefficient.
“While the Muja power station is smaller than Hazlewood, the fifty-year-old plant produces similar amounts of carbon pollution per unit of energy generated.
“WA’s Minister for Energy Mike Nahan has already acknowledged that coal closure in WA is inevitable.
“There is currently a huge and growing surplus of generation capacity on the WA grid due to the rise in renewable energy generation, as well as gains in energy efficiency in households and businesses.
“What the Minister and his Opposition counterpart have failed to do, is outline their plan for the managed closure of Muja.
“The workers and community of Collie need assistance to adjust to the new reality in the energy market.
“Polluting coal is on the way out, and clean, affordable renewable energy is on the rise.
“We are calling on all political parties to outline their plans for the managed closure of unnecessary and polluting coal fired power generators in WA, starting with the fifty-year old Muja Power Station.”