Former Labor heavyweight Joel Fitzgibbon has expressed regret over the demolition of the iconic AGL Liddell Power Station, revealing that watching the twin chimneys come down brought 'a tear to my eye'. He has urged the Labor party to reconsider its stance on nuclear energy, arguing that the power station could have continued operating if not for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pressures and subsidies for renewables.
Demolition and Transformation
Liddell Power Station, which operated for 52 years until its decommissioning in 2023, saw its twin 169-metre chimneys demolished using explosives on Tuesday. The site will be transformed into a 'renewable energy hub' featuring a 500 MW grid-scale battery for energy storage.
Fitzgibbon, speaking to Sky News Australia, stated that the power station's closure was premature. 'Its time had probably come, but these power generators are like any machines. If you can still get the parts and make the economics stack up, you can just keep them going forever, you know, like a vintage car,' he said. He blamed ESG pressure and subsidies for renewables for making coal-fired power less viable.
Nuclear Energy Debate
The former minister highlighted that Liddell provided 2,000 megawatt hours of energy to the grid, a capacity he claims cannot be matched by renewables alone. 'That's a lot of windmills and solar panels… You won't get that sort of capacity out of anything other than nuclear,' he argued. Fitzgibbon criticised Labor's decision to maintain a prohibition on nuclear energy, suggesting it stems from fear that nuclear might compete with renewables for investment. 'But we mine uranium. We send it overseas for others to generate power from. But for some reason, we won't do it here in our own country,' he added.
Political Reactions
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also condemned the demolition, calling it a 'national shame'. She argued that Australia is destroying reliable coal-fired power before renewable alternatives can fully replace it. 'Australia had some of the cheapest electricity in the world in the 2000s when Liddell Power Station was in the prime of its life. Today, this government is celebrating literally blowing up Liddell with nothing to replace it and deliver cheap electricity. This madness has to end,' she said, calling for an end to net-zero targets and withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Energy Mix Reality
Despite the push for renewables, New South Wales still relies heavily on coal. In the 48 hours before demolition, black coal supplied over 80% of the state's electricity. Nationally, coal provided 64% of demand, gas 5%, solar 13%, wind 11%, and battery power just 1%.
AGL Chief Operations and Construction Officer Matthew Currie acknowledged the significance of the power station but emphasised the transformation. 'Liddell Power Station has played an important role in Australia's energy system. The demolition will pave the way for the continued transformation of the site into a Hunter Energy Hub that will support new jobs, regional growth and long-term economic development,' he said.
