Premier Beattie speeds up pipeline for coal but not for people ...
From the Courier Mail:
Pipeline sped up to protect coalfields
04 February 2006
AT least six Bowen Basin coalmines – with 1500 jobs and $1.2 billion a year in exports – are at risk of closure because of a shortage of water, according to the State Government
Queensland Co-ordinator-General Ross Rolfe has used his emergency powers to fast-track construction of the $270 million Moranbah pipeline to avert what has been described as a potential economic catastrophe.
SunWater confirmed yesterday that if the wet season failed again this year, without the pipeline project at least six mines would be forced to close.
Mr Rolfe's exercise of special powers clears the way to construct pumping works to divert water from the George Weir to the Burdekin pipeline.
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 7:46 AM
1 Comments:
Pipeline sped up to protect coalfields
04 February 2006
AT least six Bowen Basin coalmines – with 1500 jobs and $1.2 billion a year in exports – are at risk of closure because of a shortage of water, according to the State Government
Queensland Co-ordinator-General Ross Rolfe has used his emergency powers to fast-track construction of the $270 million Moranbah pipeline to avert what has been described as a potential economic catastrophe.
SunWater confirmed yesterday that if the wet season failed again this year, without the pipeline project at least six mines would be forced to close.
Mr Rolfe's exercise of special powers clears the way to construct pumping works to divert water from the George Weir to the Burdekin pipeline.
The Bowen Basin is responsible for 97 per cent of Queensland's coal exports. Its desperate water situation was outlined in a plea by SunWater to the State Government last May.
In a statement tabled in Parliament this week, Mr Rolfe – who is also director-general of the Premier's Department – said: "SunWater had demonstrated that a number of communities and coalmines were threatened by critical water shortages and that the Moranbah pipeline projects need to be completed as soon as possible to address this threat."
SunWater estimated that any water-supply-related closure of the six most at-risk coal mines around Moranbah could affect about 21 million tonnes of coal production. This would equated to a loss of nearly $1.2 billion in annual export earnings and 1465 coal industry jobs.
"This is a conservative estimate, as more than six mines are likely to be at risk," the statement said.
SunWater general manager Peter Boettcher said the Eungella Dam, which feeds the Bowen Basin coalfields, was at about 15 per cent capacity. The dam services the north Bowen Basin to as far south as Collinsville, where there is a power station and significant coalmining operations.
Most of the dam's water is used by industry. Town water use accounts for only about 2000 megalitres of the 42,000-megalitre allocation.
Mr Boettcher said there had been no wet season for the past three years, and off-stream storage developed near Collinsville to relieve pressure on the dam was only available to some users.
"Other users who take from the dam need further security," Mr Boettcher said. "There is a possibility of the dam failing if we do not get a proper wet season this year."
Construction work due to begin on the 220km pipeline this month will enable emergency supplies by December.
"This will be sufficient to underpin existing mines," Mr Boettcher said. "The full project will underpin future development."
Expansion of existing mines has the potential to increase current coal production by 45 million tonnes a year. It is estimated that every month the project is delayed $242 million will be lost in potential export earnings.
Funding for the pipeline is being provided by the six foundation coal users: BMA Coal, Macarthur Coal, Carborough Downs Coal, Isaac Plains Coal, Rio Tinto Coal Australia (Hail Creek Mine) and Millennium Coal.
A spokesman for the Queensland Resources Council said the Eungella dam was never going to be sufficient to cope with the expanding Bowen Basin coal industry.
11:33 PM, April 05, 2006
Post a Comment
<< Home