Coal ‘biggest threat’ to power grid, Bowen says

Coal-fired power stations are the “biggest threat” to Australia’s power grid, according to Chris Bowen.

The Climate Change and Energy Minister made the claim after NSW’s energy system redlined on Wednesday as the state endured sweltering temperatures.

Mr Bowen said on Thursday the government’s renewables plan underpinned by gas would “ensure a reliable system”.

“The least reliable part of our energy grid at the moment is coal-fired power,” he told Sky News.

“That’s just a statement of fact. There hasn’t been a day in the last 18 months when we haven’t had a breakdown in a coal-fired power station.”

He said battery storage “played a very big role” in helping NSW cope with the spike on Wednesday.

“What the chief executive of (the Australian Energy Market Operator) told me yesterday was that batteries were essential for getting New South Wales through yesterday, that batteries played a very big role yesterday,” he said.

“Now, we have more coming on. We have the Waratah battery, big ones are coming on.

“They’re coming on over the next year or so, but of course, that means we’ve got to keep our foot on the accelerator.”

Mr Bowen’s remarks echoed reliability concerns raised by energy experts, who have repeatedly warned Australia’s ageing coal-fired stations will come to the end of their operational lives by the mid 2030s.