Ex-Snowy Hydro chief slams Bowen Jess Malcolm ‘The Australian’ 4th May 2023
Former Snowy Hydro chief executive Paul Broad has attacked Chris Bowen and branded Labor’s target to reach 80 per cent renewables by 2030 as “bull…t” after Snowy 2.0 was hit with a fresh two-year delay.
Snowy Hydro chief executive Dennis Barnes on Wednesday revealed that first power from the mega pumped-hydro project was now expected between June and December 2029 at the latest, prompting fresh fears of supply shortfalls, price surges and blackouts.
Mr Broad – who sensationally quit last year after falling out with Mr Bowen over the NSW Kurri Kurri gas plant – said the nation’s transition to renewables would take eighty years, and accused Mr Bowen of misleading Australians about the complexity of decarbonisation.
He warned Australia’s national energy market was now on a “knife's edge” after the closure of Liddell and that the nation should expect blackouts on hot and cold days into the future, as he urged the state government to extend the life of Eraring past 2025.
“The truth is with this transition if it ever occurs it will take 80 years not eight …there’s massive changes that need to occur and I'm deeply concerned about the rush, the notion that somehow this is all magic, we’re going to wave a magic wand we’ll close a peak baseload power plant that's kept the lights on through yours and my life and the minister can float all these alternatives out there,” Mr Broad told 2GB.
“We’ll it's not I can be absolutely 100 per cent certain it’s not available and the transmission lines are miles late, 2.0 which is part of it is late, and I think there are in report which tell them you’ll need at least eight years to achieve their goal and that’s 80 years not eight.”
"Eraring can't close…even now we're closing Liddell we're on a knife's edge, you watch when it gets really hot or really cold, if the lights don't go out I'd be awfully surprised."
WE MUST CONTINUE TO SOUND THE ALARM, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!! Spread the word, to all family, friends, particularly discuss it with shop owners. Ask the question, “How do you plan to cope when the blackouts come?”
I would value it if you are able to donate $20 or $50 to promote the petition https://www.change.org/p/blackouts-will-be-devastating-they-must-be-avoided-at-all-costs and to also promote it on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp or Email.