Labor Pays Coal-Fired Power Station $450 Million to Stay Open

NSW Labor has angered environmental stakeholders by committing to coal for longer than promised in an effort to ensure lights remain on.

Eraring coal-fired power station, the largest in Australia, on the shores of Lake Macquarie southeast of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. Nick Pitsas/CSIRO

New South Wales (NSW) Labor Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has denied claims his party is handing Origin Energy a $3 billion (US$1.9 billion) cheque to operate the coal-fired Eraring power station amid the state’s push to go green on power.

His comments come as Premier Chris Minns announced on May 23 that the NSW government had signed a deal allowing Origin to operate the power station through till August 2027.