Energy Minister Don Harwin has failed to come clean about issues with the state’s energy supply after whistle blowers reported that Liddell Power Station is running at half capacity.

As temperatures soared across the state, NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley today revealed that whistle blowers had advised that just two of the four units at Liddell Power Station were operational.

The reports were confirmed with the Australian Energy Market Operator.

Mr Harwin and Premier Gladys Berejiklian have refused to notify the public about the situation at Liddell Power Station, leaving the job of notifying the public about shortfalls in energy supply to the Opposition.

The lack of additional power from the Liddell plant will play a significant role later this evening as workers return home and turn on TVs, air conditioners and dishwashers – pushing the state’s network to its threshold.

 

Quotes attributable to Opposition Leader Luke Foley:

“It shouldn’t take a whistle blower calling the Labor Opposition for this information to be revealed to the public.

“We have Energy Minister Don Harwin telling people to turn up the temperature on their air-conditioner and their fridge just to keep the lights on but he hasn’t told us that only two of the four generators at the Liddell Power Station are operational.

“The Premier’s top priority over the coming days is to ensure the reliable supply of electricity.

“This is life under the Liberal Party; they don’t think keeping the lights on is their responsibility they’re happy to leave the private sector do it.

“The Berejiklian Government only has one energy policy – sell it all off to divest themselves of the responsibility of Government to keep the lights on.

“If we get through the afternoon peak today with the lights staying on we’ve done it on a wing and a prayer. I hope and pray the lights do stay on.”

 

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy Adam Searle:

“We have heard that two of the four generators are not operational and wouldn’t be able to be made operational even if the energy regulator demanded them to do so.

“It’s the actions of the Berejiklian Government that has caused the constraints on the supply in NSW.

“When the Government sold Wallerawang power station in 2013, it failed to obtain a guarantee of supply from the purchaser, who promptly shut the station.

“The power it used to generate would have more than made up for any shortfall today.

“The Government should give a full and frank accounting of itself and this situation.

“The Government should be making this information freely available to the public and shouldn’t take the Labor Opposition to make this knowledge available.

 

10 February 2017