Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 5:05:29 to 5:11:48
Senator Roberts questions the planning and inclusion of the New England Renewable Energy Zone in the AEMO Integrated System Plan (ISP).
Topics: Renewable energy, Electricity grid
Speakers: Hon Tim Ayres, Malcolm Roberts, Speaker 13, Varun Ghosh, Nadia Rosenman, Ms. Nadia Rosenman
Roberts. Thank you, Chair. My questions are about the New England renewable energy zone. In the draft 2026 ISP integrated system plan, the New England renewable energy zone only had one stage with a single 500 kilovolt double circuit line listed as actionable and included in the optimal development plan. Is it correct so far?
>> We must wait for the relevant staff to
Hi, Senator. Sorry, I I was coming up to the table. I didn't hear the question. Can I get you?
>> My My questions are about the New England renewable energy zone. In the draft 2026 integrated system plan, the New England renewable energy zone only had one stage with a single 500 kilovolt double circuit line listed as actionable and included in the optimal development path. Am I correct so far? I think I
think sorry if I can just I think um >> fundamentally the renewable energy zones are an artifice of state government policy um officials will answer to the extent that they can
>> that's what we can expect
>> um but but just ju just for you and uh for anybody listening this is fundamentally if it's New England apart from that being a very fine part of the of the state of New South Wales, the bit that I grew up in. Um, it's really a matter for the New South Wales government, but we'll see how we go.
>> In append, so there'll be funding given by the by the federal government. So, let's just focus on that. In appendix 5, the draft integrated system plan said, quote, ongoing analysis and stakeholder engagement between now and June 2026 is needed to ascertain whether the second stage will optimize benefits to consumers in the 2026 integrated system plan. Yet in the final 2026 integrated system plan, both stages which included two 500 kovolt double circuit lines were now considered anticipated as a single project. The final integrated system plan explained in appendix 5 that this was based on information provided by the New South Wales government. Minister, did your AIMO, the Australian electricity market operator, conduct or have access to any analysis to determine whether proceeding immediately with both stages together was actually in the best interest of the consumer as they promised?
>> I suppose what I would say is um uh one prominent local in that region we've made massive investments in the New England into renewable energy. In fact, we're one of the biggest renewable energy hubs in Australia, said Mr. Joyce. Just like the in inland rail, others talked about it for years, and I made sure it happened. That's what Mr. Joyce said. He said in another interview, "The federal government has delivered millions of dollars of investment already for renewable energy generation right here on our doorstep in places like Inverall and Glenn Inennis. Um he said he said he said Mr. Joyce said he's an enthusiastic proponent of renewable energy in New England. He said
>> as Mr. Joyce said >> he said in the long term he said he said
in the long term Mr. Joyce said >> we understand that there may be a transition to other fuel sources and we've got to make sure that we're also part of that transition. He he also said with other projects like the Sapphire wind farm going ahead, it also shows that the New England is leading the way in renewable energy production and I will continue to advocate for the region as a growing power supplier for Australia
>> and as we discussed Mr. Joyce apologize for his mistake.
>> Mr. Mr. Joyce said renewable energy is also to be commended on how it works with landholders. The land access agreements that renewable energy has managed to carve out is admirable. They've done a lot better job of that than gas. We've got to acknowledge, Mr. Joyce said, that the government policy that is bringing forward renewables is a policy. If that policy was lost, if it was put aside, Mr. Joyce said it would create huge uncertainty in the renewable market, said Barnaby Joyce. We've got to make sure we stay consistent in that. Mr.
Joyce said the courage
>> and because we need consistency, he said we need our colleagues in the Labor Party to come to a bipartisan position so that we can land this so that we can create a mechanism that in the future we see the further construction of wind and solar and pumped hydro.
>> So you can't give us a break. You can't give us a break. question.
>> Mr. Mr. Joyce is is it was absolutely definitive on those questions.
>> Senators, we've got to go to 10-minute blocks. We've got to do this relatively efficiently. If I'm going to give the call back to No, I appreciate you may, but now may not be the time. Senator, Senator Roberts, next question.
>> Thank you. So, you can't give me the the definite answer. You can only talk about Barnaby Joyce who had the courage and the >> All I can tell you is about what your leader says. He had the courage and >> what your leaders what
>> I hope um is not a not a commonwealth body um like it's a um company limited by guarantees and its members are energy market participants and and state and territory governments as well as the federal government. So we we can assist to the extent we can but I we can't speak with authority on the on the work of of AMO.
>> Doesn't it doesn't it oversee the plan that you oversee? it federal government
oversees the ISP. So I wouldn't say that we oversee the the integration
>> the integrated system plan that the
>> I can't comment on that. S I'm just trying to clarify.
>> Has the integrated system plan process tested whether this project is in consumer interest and if not how can you double the size of this project without undertaking that analysis.