AGL will make the case for closing down the ageing Liddell power station on Tuesday with a media tour as the Federal Government presses for it to remain open, or be sold.
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Liddell and Bayswater power stations general manager Kate Coates will brief groups of journalists on why the company announced in 2015 that it would close Liddell in 2022, and Bayswater in 2035.
The media briefing comes after an intense two weeks of public debate and criticism of AGL by senior Turnbull Government ministers after the release of Australian Energy Market Operator reports outlining short and medium term concerns about power supply, and the need for policy certainty.
The debate focused on the closure of Liddell after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he had been in discussions with AGL head Andy Vesey about keeping the power station open until at least 2027.
Mr Turnbull’s public statements were contradicted by Mr Vesey in a series of statements and a tweet in which he reaffirmed the company was moving away from coal, in line with plans announced in 2015, and expanded on in August with the release of the company’s financial statements for 2017.
The company has backed a range of renewable alternatives to the coal-fired Liddell power station, saying wind and solar were the most economic options.
After a meeting between Mr Turnbull and Mr Vesey last week AGL made a public commitment to return with an alternative plan within 90 days to keeping Liddell open.
