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| Mon, 27th Jul 2020 16:31:00 |
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Labor asks for inquiry into how Shine Energy secured $4m grant for Collinsville coal plant study |
Labor has requested an auditor general investigation into how Shine Energy secured $4m for a feasibility study into a coal-fired power station at Collinsville in north Queensland with an application two days after the grant was publicly announced.
Labor’s climate spokesman, Mark Butler, has written to the auditor general requesting an inquiry into the supporting reliable energy infrastructure program, which Guardian Australia revealed resulted in “specific guidelines” drawn up for a one-off grant to the company.
The stoush over the future of coal power comes as treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, signals that measures to reduce power prices will be among Covid-19 economic recovery plans and some of Australia’s biggest companies team up to help achieve zero emissions in supply chains for key industrial outputs
The government set up the $10m supporting reliable energy infrastructure program in March 2019, campaigning at the election on the promise of a feasibility study for a new coal power station.
On 8 February 2020 it announced that “up to $4m” from the fund would “support Shine Energy Pty Ltd’s feasibility study for a proposed 1GW high-efficiency, low-emissions coal plant at Collinsville in Queensland”.
The company was invited to apply for the grant two days later on 10 February, despite the project’s initial business case failing to be shortlisted for the separate underwriting new generation investment program.
The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources has insisted the process of drawing up “specific grant guidelines” for a one-off grant is “normal practice” and the money, reduced to $3.3m, was not formally awarded until June.
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