Canavan stirs plant pot

STOOD aside Resources Minister Matt Canavan has goaded AGL to “ease its moral guilt” and sell its coal-fired power stations for “book value” as the Government aims to find a buyer for Liddell power plant.

Senator Canavan called AGL “the biggest hypocrite walking around Australia at the moment” just days before its chief executive officer Andy Vesey will come to Canberra on Monday to hold discussions with the Prime Minister about the future of Liddell. AGL plans to close the NSW plant in 2022, which would cause enormous pressure on the national electricity grid.

Mr Vesey tweeted on Tuesday, “Keeping old coal plants open won’t deliver the reliable, affordable energy our customers need”. It comes as Delta Electricity, through its Brisbanebased director, has expressed interest in buying Liddell.