Politics & Council
11 September, 2023
Letter to the editor: Energy expectations
Energy expectations Sir, Readers may have heard DanielWestermann, CEO AEMO, talking about AEMO’s annual 10-year outlook for the national electricity grid. The real message he said, “is that the transmission, generation and storage that is...
Energy expectations
Sir, Readers may have heard DanielWestermann, CEO AEMO, talking about AEMO’s annual 10-year outlook for the national electricity grid.
The real message he said, “is that the transmission, generation and storage that is planned…. need(s) to be delivered urgently so that Australians can continue to have access to the reliable electricity that we expect as our coal fired generators are retired”.
Here’s a few more things that Victorians expect:
Our electricity is sourced and delivered in a socially acceptable and environmentally responsible way, which does not exploit or over-burden one section of the community over others, just the same as we expect that things like clothing and coffee beans are sourced via ethical and sustainable supply chains.
Risks from climate change and extreme weather events to our environment and the places that we live and work are taken seriously, and we expect AEMO to favour options that don’t add risk without being prepared to mitigate it or insure against it.
Government ministers challenge their departments and AEMO to come up with the best options for Victoria, with a long-term view, not just to settle for the cheapest, expedient option, or one which can be reversed once an election is past.
Accountability from Government ministers, and also from department staff and AEMO to give frank and unbiased advice even when their minsters don’t wish to hear it.
AEMO, as the electricity transmission planning authority for Victoria, should comply with the National Electricity Law and legislated procedures when developing plans for transmission options, in the same manner as we expect landowners and other developers to comply with State and Local government planning laws.
At the very least we expect that such planning decisions are reviewed, and the correct decisions arrived at legally.
I think these are reasonable expectations Daniel, and while I agree that Victorians expect electricity to continue to be there when they turn on the switch, I do not believe that they accept that this should be ‘at any cost’.
Jim Phasey
Myrniong