Legislative Council
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF RIVERLINK POWER INTER-CONNECTOR
The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: As a supplementary question, will the Minister advise what
expected increases in greenhouse gas emissions will accrue as a consequence of Riverlink
being built? Will that accrue to New South Wales or South Australia?
The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I know of the honourable member's interest in these issues as
I am sure she would know of my shared interest in them. As we have highlighted on a number
of occasions, one of the great strengths of South Australian generation at the moment
compared with the other States is our greater concentration of use of natural gas as
opposed to coal and the important benefits in relation to greenhouse emissions.
One important benefit (for those members in this Chamber who are interested in the
environment) is that the Government's proposition will employ local South Australians in
local employment here in South Australia with a local plant and using natural gas, as
opposed to employment in New South Wales via an interconnector and with the resultant
problems that the honourable member has identified in relation to greenhouse emissions.
In terms of the exact numbers, I have seen the calculations but the numbers escape
me. However, they are considerable. I am happy to take that on advice and bring back a
reply for the honourable member. As the honourable member will know, it does depend on the
assumptions you make about how much power will be flowing across that interconnector at
any particular point in time.
Read the Government's reply: 9 February 1999
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