Media Release

5 September 2017: KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has reassured Australia that the prospect of cheap, reliable and clean energy is not a pipedream – the Triangle of Power is real.

As covered by ABC’s Landline on Monday night, Mr Katter took a tour of his electorate with the Shadow Minister for Transport & Infrastructure Anthony Albanese MP to point out the just how important the Hell’s Gates, Kidston Pump Storage and Big Kennedy Wind Farm – ‘Triangle of Power’ is to reducing the cost of electricity in Australia.

“The Triangle of Power will generate all of north Queensland’s electricity requirements at a reasonable price and zero emissions,” he said.

“Hell’s Gates irrigation scheme will generate 620 megawatts, the Big Kennedy wind and Kidston pump storage (small solar) which will provide a further 750 megawatts of baseload. The existing sugar mill and installed winds solar projects adds another 350 megawatts of baseload equivalent, whilst a further 300 megawatts baseload equivalent is under construction.

“NQ’s Triangle of Power will be carrying by itself nearly 5% of the national grid and it will provide all of North Qld’s energy requirements.

“One hectare of sugar cane pulls 73 tonne of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year. So whilst Hell’s Gate produces ethanol which puts CO2 up the same as petrol, what’s different is that sugar cane pulls it back down again.

“It cannot be over emphasised that existing coal fired power stations must be kept in the mix. Unless 70% to 80% of our power comes from existing “not new” power stations.

“Though they won’t admit it, an “existing” station can produce at $28 megawatts an hour, these stations can be renewed part-by-part and go on forever. You won’t produce from wind or solar under $90 megawatt per hour.

“So long as 70% is coming from these existing coal fired generators and the Triangle of Power comes full on stream, not only NQ but Queensland as a whole can have cheap, clean, reliable, renewable power for the next century or two”.

Mr Katter said that because of the extremely cheap and cost effective nature of Big Kennedy, and Kidston using existing pondage, averaged out with cheap power from Hells Gate, North Qld should have the cheapest power that exceeds by 100% renewable targets and will be baseload power in Australia, especially when STaDS irrigation project on the upper Tully Herbert comes on stream.

“It must be emphasised that whilst the obsession with solar and wind has raised electricity prices around 50%, the really crippling cost has come in with free market, deregulation and privatisation; which is totally responsible for a 3000% increase in last 10 years.

“Whereas the increase in the 17 years prior to privatisation and deregulation, was a minuscule 17%.”

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