Demand the RESIGNATION of SA Energy Minister for HIGH POWER PRICES & JOBS & POWER CRISES
Demand the RESIGNATION of SA Energy Minister for HIGH POWER PRICES & JOBS & POWER CRISES
Dear South Australians,
I call you all to please sign my petition to demand the resignation of the Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis for Labor's extreme green energy policy comprising of 40 % wind power and more than 1.3 % solar, which is responsible for the highest power prices in Australia, frequent blackouts, 15,000 household disconnections, the July 2016 power crisis and is a leading cause of SA's job crisis, where SA has the highest unemployment rate in Australia.
Please read the following and if you agree that the Energy Minister should resign, then please sign my petition. Thankyou.
The Advertiser 14/7/16 Watt a Shocker. Daniel Wills writes:
South Australia's biggest employers were on the verge of COSTLY SHUTDOWNS caused by SKYROCKETING ELECTRICITY PRICES - forcing Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis to PLEAD with a private power station to produce more energy. The Pelican Point gas-fired station at Pt Adelaide will lift supply from tomorrow until Sunday week TO AVOID TEMPORARY CLOSURES AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF STAFF at firms understood to include BHP Billiton and Arrium.
.....between 6 and 10 major manufacturers told him they were considering SHUTDOWNS after WILD FLUCTUATIONS in ENERGY PRICES blamed in part on this weeks storms. The companies are understood to include besieged steel maker Arrium, Olympic Dam operator BHP Billiton, Pt Pirie lead smelter Nyrstar, Cement producer Adelaide Brighton and automotive supply chain firms linked to Holden.
The social services sector has called for an IMMEDIATE SUMMIT, WARNING that the STATE'S RAPID RUSH INTO GREEN ENERGY HAS CREATED UNCERTAINTY FOR BOTH HOUSEHOLDS AND EMPLOYERS. SA's POWER CHARGES have SOARED in the past week, hitting MORE THAN 7 TIMES the Victorian price and ALMOST 8 that in NSW because the state's market is isolated from the rest of Australia.
Upgrades to an interconnection cable between SA and Victoria have been delayed by wild storms. Mr Koutsantonis said frigid conditions in the eastern states were also eating up gas supplies which had further left SA fending for itself and created HUGE PRICE VOLATILITY.
A report from Deloitte Access Economics has also WARNED THAT HOUSEHOLD PRICES WILL SPIKE OVER THE NEXT 2 YRS AND BLACKOUTS WILL BECOME MORE COMMON, DUE TO SA's HIGH LEVEL OF GREEN ENERGY.
Mr Koutsantonis REJECTED suggestions that state's long held policy of PUSHING GREEN ENERGY which has made SA MORE RELIANT on those sources than almost anywhere in the world, caused the crisis !
Business SA chief executive Nigel McBride said he feared investors would begin to DOUBT that the state offered a secure energy supply and turn away from job-creating projects. Without energy security and price competitiveness and if we continue to have events like this occur, it's symptomatic of a SYSTEM THAT IS FAILING Mr McBride said. This can AFFECT HAVING THE CONFIDENCE TO INVEST IN THIS STATE."
SA Opposition energy spokesman Dan van Holst Pellekaan said HOUSEHOLDS ULTIMATELY FACED HIGHER PRICES DUE TO THE LONG TERM EFFECT OF FAILED ENERGY POLICIES " he said. The OVER - ZEALOUS RUSH INTO WIND FARMS WITHOUT ASSOCIATED LARGE - SCALE BATTERY STORAGE IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SURGING PRICE OF ELECTRICITY IN SA."
The Advertiser July 21st 2016 Luke Griffiths writes:
"CLOSURE OF THE PORT AUGUSTA POWER STATION RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE PRICE SURGES OF ALMOST 75 % and has LARGELY SET THE SCENE for SA's current POWER CRISIS a leading industry group says".
" But most of all THE CLOSURE HAPPENED SO FAST that the market had LITTLE TIME TO PREPARE OR ADJUST - it's a clear marker of the DANGER OF DISORDERLY TRANSITIONS." Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said.
The Advertiser 23rd July 2016 Luke Griffiths & Jade Gailberger write:
Analysts have blamed the governments HURRIED PURSUIT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR FORCING THE CLOSURE OF BASELOAD FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS like that at PORT AUGUSTA. They say the focus on WIND, an UNRELIABLE POWER SOURCE as opposed to planning for a more diverse range of renewables that include the MORE RELIABLE GEOTHERMAL has contributed to PRICE VOLATILITY SINCE COAL-FIRED BASELOAD POWER WAS SWITCHED OFF ON 9th MAY 2016. Innes Willox said " THE LOSS OF THAT GENERATION CAPACITY RAISES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SHORTFALLS IN THE INTERCONNECTOR OR RENEWABLES GENERATION WILL SEND PRICES SOARING " he said.
The PROBLEM WITH WIND generated power by Iain MacGill (Uni of NSW Centre for Energy and Environment) is wind farms also STOP OPERATION when it's TOO WINDY - speeds of 90 kms and higher. But on calm days wind farms could SUCK UP MORE POWER THAN THEY GENERATE.
SA is facing WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY PRICES that are ROUGHLY DOUBLE that of other states for MORE THAN 2 YRS according to figures from the Australian Energy Regulator. Wholesale energy costs are the prices charged by power stations. SA CURRENTLY PAYS $70 per megawatt hr for wholesale power and the AER forecasts that charge will rise to a peak of $94 by mid 2018 when the price in Vic will be just $41."
The Advertiser July 22nd 2016 David Penberthy writes:
" Managing directors and CEOS are now asking WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO DO BUSINESS HERE."
Power Price Hikes To Lead To More Disconnections Across South Australia, SACOSS says http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-19/power-price-hikes-to-lead-to-more-disconnections-in-sa/7642752
South Australia's social welfare sector has called for an independent investigation into electricity disconnections as winter and power price hikes begin to bite. Statistics from the Australian Energy Regulator showed SA already had the HIGHEST proportion of DISCONNECTIONS IN THE NATION. From Jan to March 2016, MORE THAN 2,500 SA residential customers were disconnected (15,000 to date).
The state also has the HIGHEST proportion of customers on HARDSHIP PROGRAMS. South Australian Council of Social Services (SACOSS) executive director Ross Womersley said "We have the HIGHEST ELECTRICITY PRICES IN THE NATION IN SA. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT IN SA AND THAT'S NO COINCIDENCE."
Government's Energy Policies 'Destabilise' Electricity Market www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-15/agl-customers-in-sa-electricity-prices-rise-by-10-per-cent/7513222
...the state Opposition has blamed the Government for AGL's price hike. Opposition spokesperson Dan Van Holst Pelekaan said the State Government's RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICIES WERE TO BLAME. "The Government has been OVER - ZEALOUS WITH REGARD TO PERMISSIONS FOR WIND ENERGY and WIND ENERGY WITHOUT STORAGE DESTABILISES THE ELECTRICITY MARKET, " he said.
Energy Australia Announces Electricity Price Hike for South Australian Customers http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-18/energy-Australia-announces-price-hike-for-sa/7522616
A 3rd electricity provider within a week has announced it is INCREASING its' charges for South Australian customers. Welfare agencies concerned as families struggle to pay bills and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis says people need to shop around for an energy provider !
Energy Australia has followed in the footsteps of AGL and Origin Energy, announcing a $22 INCREASE on the average MONTHLY BILL, or about an EXTRA $260 a year, for customers in SA. The average AGL bill will go up by about $230 a year and Origin customers will pay an EXTRA $117 a year.
The companies have cited issues around COAL AND GAS SUPPLY IN SA as REASONS, INCLUDING THE CLOSURE of the PORT AUGUSTA POWER STATION.
Energy Australia communications manager Mark Todd said the increase would begin FROM JULY 1 2016. "The main rationale for that is the RISING COST OF PURCHASING ELECTRICITY on behalf of customers," he said. The rise in electricity bills comes as SA continues to have the WORST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE in the nation with 7.9 %. (July 2016).
Power Crisis Brings Back Fossil Fuels. 15 July 2016 Ben Potter
Australian Financial Review
TURMOIL in South Australia’s HEAVILY WIND RELIANT electricity market has FORCED the state government to PLEAD with the owner of a MOTHBALLED GAS-FIRED POWER STATION TO TURN IT BACK ON !
The EMERGENCY MEASURES are needed to ease PUNISHING COSTS for South Australian industry as National Electricity Market (NEM) prices in the state have FREQUENTLY SURGED above $1,000 a megawatt hour this month and at one point on Tuesday hit the $14,000 MWh maximum price ! Complaints from business about the EXTREME PRICES – in normal times they are BELOW $100 – prompted the state government to ask energy company ENGIE to switch its mothballed Pelican Point gas power station back on.
COLD WEATHER AND THE CLOSURE of SA’s Northern and Playford COAL - FIRED POWER STATIONS AS WIND PROVIDES AN INCREASING SHARE OF THE STATE'S POWER HAVE COMBINED TO SEND NEM PRICES TO THEIR HIGHEST AVERAGE LEVELS since the 2007 drought !
But South Australia, which LED THE CHARGE INTO WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY and gets two-fifths of its power from these sources, HAS SUFFERED THE HIGHEST PRICES ON THE MAINLAND, INCREASING THE PRESSURE ON THE STATE'S INDUSTRIAL ENERGY USERS.
The Advertiser 15/7/16. Dark Ages. Daniel Wills & Cameron England write:
Opposition leader Steven Marshall said " the CURRENT ENERGY CRISIS IN SA IS COMPLETELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FAILED ENERGY PLANNING BY THE LABOR ADMINISTRATION ". He said there needed to be an IMMEDIATE EXAMINATION of how to boost storage and interconnection as well as manage demand."
The Sunday Mail 24th July 2016. Power Cuts and High Bills Have Made South Australia a Laughing Stock – and There’s No Relief in Sight. Chris Kenny writes:
".....whatever TRIFLING AMOUNT of EMISSIONS that are saved annually in SA are MORE THAN MADE UP FOR in a matter of WEEKS by increasing emissions in China and India !
We all PAY WAY TOO MUCH for electricity, our taxes remain TOO HIGH, our power infrastructure is DUPLICATED and the global environment DOESN'T IMPROVE anyway because emissions saved in this country are INFINITESIMAL COMPARED TO THE GROWTH IN EMISSIONS ELSEWHERE ! LABOR and the GREENS are leading us down a road to ECONOMIC RUIN....."
PLEASE SIGN this Petition to end SA's HIGH ELECTRICITY PRICE CHAOS AND INJUSTICE before even MORE JOBS ARE LOST and MORE businesses and industries ARE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN and to prevent FURTHER BLACKOUTS, POWER DISCONNECTIONS AND POWER CRISES from occurring.
SA ALREADY has the HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE in the country at 7.9% and the HIGHEST NUMBER of people living BELOW THE POVERTY LINE and the HIGHEST NUMBER OF DISCONNECTIONS AND ALSO the HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON HARDSHIP PROGRAMS ALL CAUSED BY THE HIGHEST ELECTRICITY PRICES IN THE COUNTRY !
IT IS OUTRAGEOUS AND WRONG THAT SOUTH AUSTRALIANS HAVE TO PAY ROUGHLY DOUBLE WHAT VICTORIANS PAY FOR THEIR WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY AS OUR WAGES ARE LOWER THAN THEIRS ! THIS IS GROSSLY UNFAIR, GROSSLY UNJUST, COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND THIS MUST CHANGE !
SOUTH AUSTRALIANS RIGHTLY SHOULD PAY A CHEAPER PRICE THAN WHAT VICTORIANS PAY FOR THEIR WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY. THIS IS FAIR, JUST, SIMPLE STRAIGHT FORWARD LOGIC AND JUST PLAIN COMMON SENSE !
PLEASE SIGN TO END THIS HIGH ELECTRICITY PRICE CHAOS AND GROSS INJUSTICE NOW AND NOT LATER WHEN EVEN MORE DAMAGE IS DONE TO OUR AILING STATE AND TO OUR HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS !
NOW IS THE TIME TO STOP THIS ESCALATING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DISASTER BEING ORCHESTRATED BY THE INCOMPETANT ENERGY MINISTER AND THE LABOR PARTY'S FAILED EXTREME GREEN ENERGY POLICY ! THE ENERGY MINISTER MUST RESIGN TODAY. HE MUST STAND DOWN NOW. NOW IS THE TIME, NOT LATER, NOW !!
5 SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS HAVE OCCURRED.
1. THE RIGHT TO KNOW THE TRUTH 2. THE RIGHT TO WORK 3. THE RIGHT TO A STANDARD OF LIVING ADEQUATE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES 4. THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN SAFETY, WHETHER AT WORK OR HOME OR AWAY FROM HOME & ON OUR ROADS & ESPECIALLY AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS.....BLACKOUTS MAKE OUR LIVES DANGEROUS......AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST 5. THE RIGHT TO LIVE.....
SIGN THIS PETITION NOW TO PROTECT YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS AND TO SAVE SA JOBS AND BUSINESSES NOW !
THE ENERGY MINISTER MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DISASTER THAT IS UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES......
Thankyou for your time and your support.
Read more here :
https://stopthesethings.com/2017/04/03/renewable-industrys-giant-battery-claims-unplugged/#comments
https://stopthesethings.com/2016/10/14/wind-power-becomes-political-poison-in-australia/
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-25/power-prices-set-to-remain-high-and-volatile/7785982
http://www.energyresourceinformationcentre.org.au/conversation/opinion-impacts-high-power-pricing/
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-08/sa-government-to-purchase-75pc-of-electricity-needs/7825852
https://stopthesethings.com/2016/09/01/the-lunacy-of-trying-to-run-on-wind-power/
https://stopthesethings.com/2016/08/20/why-wind-power-is-slaughtering-south-australia-in-a-nutshell/
https://stopthesethings.com/2016/08/15/wind-power-debacle-south-australia-an-international-joke/