Coalition to fast- track coal power

CONSTRUCTION of a new coal- fired baseload power station at Collinsville would be fast- tracked under an LNP government.

LNP deputy leader Deb Frecklington, who will announce the proposal in Townsville today, said more supply and cheaper electricity was a central plank of the LNP’s plan to create 500,000 jobs over the next decade.

“Only the LNP has a plan to deliver cheaper electricity prices, saving a typical household $ 780 over the next three years,” she said.

“The choice North Queenslanders have is simple – a vote for the LNP is a vote for lower electricity prices and a vote for a Labor- Greens alliance is a vote for record high power prices.”

The LNP would designate the power station a “prescribed project”.

This would overcome any unreasonable delays in the project’s approvals process.

The announcement comes after the Bulletin revealed on November 1 that the State Government had buried a report conducted by Energy Edge which acknowledged an ultracritical high- efficiency low- emissions ( HELE) power station was needed in North Queensland.

“( Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk has ruled out a HELE power station in North Queensland but a secret Labor Government- commissioned report showed it would be viable, create hundreds of local jobs and reduce electricity prices,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Every single North Queenslander is paying record high electricity bills because of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s ideological obsession with green energy and she expects North Queenslanders to pick up the tab.”

Three overseas proponents have contacted the LNP about building the facility with LNP considering proposals from companies in Thailand, Japan and China.

It is understood the Thai proponent is the frontrunner. No government subsidies would be required for the project.

The Collinsville site, separate to a power station which the Newman government has been accused of closing, was chosen due to its proximity to existing and future coal mines.

There is also an existing transmission network with capacity of up to 1000MW.

Ms Palaszczuk has continued to rule out the need for a new coal- fired power station in Queensland, instead visiting the Burdekin on Sunday to inspect the Clare Solar Farm and announce an extra $ 50 million investment into renewables.