Electrical workers are calling on state and federal governments to overhaul energy project planning and approvals, following the announcement that power generated by new large-scale solar projects will be “wasted” in south-eastern Australia.
The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) reveals that the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) announced that one third of power generated from these projects would “destroy job opportunities” due to transmission project delays.
This call from electrical workers comes ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ national productivity roundtable in August, where energy will be a critical component due to being an enabler of productivity across the entire economy.
AEMO’s latest data shows that no new major solar farms in Victoria and South Australia would be able to supply more than 65% of their capacity. Some will only be able to supply 35% of their capacity.
ETC National Secretary Michael Wright says the current planning and approvals process needs to be made better for everyone.
“Fixing project planning and approvals so they work better for workers and their communities as well as industry and the national economy should be a major priority for government,” Wright says.
“If we are wasting a third of new energy instead of sending it where it needs to go because projects are delayed, that’s a huge problem that places electrical workers’ jobs at risk.”
“We need to stop consulting communities to death, provide a faster ‘yes’ or a faster ‘no’ for projects.”
Wright adds that every business across sectors uses energy and pays for it.
“New industries that will drive productivity like critical minerals and data centres need it to spin up,” he says.
“This is how we give industry and workers the certainty to build the projects that will boost Australian productivity and create the jobs that will train the next generation of Australian power workers.”
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
