It’s interesting to see how government’s commitment to emission reduction is now tricking down to the implementation considerations, and the effects society and everyday laypeople.

John Low
Malaysia Airlines

Updated: 02:39, Friday October 16, 2009

Victoria could face power outages if two of its four brown coal power stations close in the next 10 years as Australia looks to cut its greenhouse gas emissions, experts say.

Under one of a number of scenarios prepared by consultants for the Victorian government, and obtained by The Age, the Hazelwood and Yallourn power stations could close.

Hazelwood, criticised by environmentalists as Australia’s dirtiest power station, could shut by 2013 if Australia cut its greenhouse emissions by 5 per cent by 2020.

Nearby Yallourn could close in 2018, or both stations could close in 2015, the documents suggest.

The stations, which opened in the 1960s, together provide 40 per cent of Victoria’s electricity and half the state’s greenhouse emissions from power generation.

The papers go against federal Treasury studies and work by former climate change adviser Ross Garnaut, but were dismissed as ‘scaremongering’ by energy analysts, The Age said.

Other scenarios include sharp electricity price rises to keep the ageing plants in service, while another suggests the plants could break down or be forced to shut because of poor maintenance.

In response, Premier John Brumby said the government aimed to achieve ‘continuing energy security’ along with lower emissions and more investment in clean coal and other technology.

Environment Victoria campaign director Mark Wakeham welcomed any plans to abandon Hazelwood.

A spokesman for TRUenergy, which operates the Yallourn plant, said proposed compensation under the emissions trading scheme was insufficient and would affect supply reliability in the future.

A spokesman for International Power, owners of Hazelwood, declined to comment.