These are the two sites in New South Wales that Opposition Leader & MP for Dickson (Qld) Peter Dutton announced on 17 June 2024 as marked for nuclear power plants. Intended sizes and capacity as yet unknown, intended build and projected running costs not specified and commencement of construction to completion dates not given.
Liddell Power Station, located near Liddell, 7kms north-west of Ravensworth (est. pop. 12), approx. 15kms south-east of Muswellbrook (est. pop 16,778) & 25kms north-west of Singleton (est. pop 27,719) in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. It sits in an electorate not held by a Coalition MP.
Owned by AGL Energy Ltd, and operated as a thermal coal-fired power station until shuttered in 2023.
Currently being refitted as a 500MW, two-hour duration, grid scale battery due to become operational mid-2026.
The owners have previously stated they have no intention of selling the site. The company's Top 25 shareholders are predominately institutional investors and est. 99 per cent of shareholding generally is held by persons/entities within Australia.
The power plant is in an active open cut coal mining area. The nearest state government air quality monitoring station is at Muswellbrook. Nearest water sources are Lake Liddell (capacity 150 gigalitres) and Plashett Reservoir (capacity 67 gigalitres) which are dedicated water storage areas.
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| Mount Liddell Power Station Image: Blake Sharp Wiggins/The Guardian, June 2024 |
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Mount Piper Power Station, located at Blackmans Flat near Mount Piper, in vicinity of Portland (est. pop 2,448), approx. 7kms from Wallerawang (est. pop 2,431) & 26km north-west of Lithgow (est. pop 20,742) in the Central West of New South Wales. It sits in the Calare electorate which is not held by a Coalition MP.
Owned by Energy Australia a subsidiary of the Hong Kong CLP Group and operated as a black coal fuelled, 1,420 megawatt power station.
Energy Australia has not stated an intention of selling this power plant and, will not retire the plant before 2040. CLP Holdings Pty Ltd Top 10 shareholders are dominated by entities associated with the Kadoorie family of Hong Kong and shareholding generally is held by the Kadoorie family, international institutional investors and retail investors in Hong Kong.
The power plant is set in a predominately rural area. The nearest state government air quality monitoring station appears to be at Newcastle. Nearest water body is Lake Wallace, surface areas 125 ha with 4,300 megalitre water capacity.
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| Mount Piper Power Station Image: Utility Magazine, July 2019 |
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The NSW Minns Labor Government has stated it will not remove the state prohibition on nuclear power plants. Premier Minns questioned how Mr Dutton would constitutionally force states to build nuclear reactors, with energy policy and infrastructure falling under the purview of state governments. His concerns were echoed by his fellow Labor premiers in Victoria and Queensland.
