Horizon Power is operating with reduced numbers around the boardroom table, fueling concerns about the sluggish rollout of new power infrastructure in the state’s north-west.
Horizon Power is operating with reduced numbers around the boardroom table, fueling concerns about the sluggish rollout of new power infrastructure in the state’s north-west.
The regional power provider currently has three board members, short of its mandated five- to-nine-member requirement.
Ministerial permission was sought and granted to operate below capacity twice; on June 27 and August 4.
The state government put the shortfall down to a delay in reappointment of a board member due to the state election in March, and an unexpected resignation in July.
Shadow energy minister Steve Thomas said WA’s fixed election terms render the above reason implausible.
“It is in March every four years, so it is not an excuse to say we didn't know the election was coming and we got preoccupied,” he said.
Parliament was told on Tuesday new appointments were due to be made shortly.
Mr Thomas said the issue pointed to a broader malaise in the state’s energy agenda.
“There is a massive issue where the federal government has stumped up $3 billion under their rewiring the nation program to allow for renewable energy to get access to the grid, and particularly in the north-west,” he said.
“Horizon has been messing about and has been unable to start this process off.
“It is not as if Horizon Power is about to die because they are down a couple of board members, but it simply reflects a lack of commitment to get the job done.”
APA Group was in December picked by the state government to build transmission lines connecting industry on the Burrup Peninsula and near Port Hedland to proposed renewable energy projects inland.
The slow progress on common use transmission lines is a bugbear for major Pilbara industrial firms which need them for their decarbonisation plans.
Woodside boss Meg O’Neill in May suggested the delays had stretched out so long government should let industry build the lines.
“I think the bigger indictment is on the complexity of getting transmission built,” Ms O’Neill said after being quizzed on the company’s stalled solar farm plans.
“We were ready to build the transmission lines ourselves.
“The state’s got a desire for transmission to be state-owned infrastructure, which we fully support.
“We were happy to build it and then give it over to the state, or hand it over in an appropriate commercial manner to the state.”
All three current Horizon Power board members – Samantha Tough, Mark Puzey and Ivy Chen – will have their terms expire in November or December this year.
The WA government was contacted for comment.
