Electricity
The Victorian towns where Peter Dutton is considering going nuclear
The Coalition is pushing the prospect of nuclear energy in old coal-mining towns. But do Victorians actually want them and are they worth the cost?
- by Josh Gordon and Benjamin Preiss
Latest
Aluminium price puts dent in Rio Tinto’s earnings
Lower global prices for key commodities put a $2.3 billion dent in Rio Tinto’s earnings.
- by Simon Johanson and Peter Milne
‘Unacceptable’: Minister slams Ausnet over not setting up hardship payments
Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has lashed electricity distributor Ausnet over the delay in processing payments to customers affected by lengthy power outages.
- by Kieran Rooney
Perspective
Government
Politics, power and prices: The key figure in Labor MPs’ sights
The extensive survey of Queenslanders across 2023 was revealing in many ways. One significant focus was awareness of electricity bill rebates.
- by Matt Dennien
Exclusive
Bushfires
‘Incomprehensible’: Black Saturday inquisitor blasts state over grid safety
A key figure in the inquiry into Victoria’s most deadly bushfires is dismayed by the limited progress to make the state safer.
- by Kieran Rooney and Annika Smethurst
Opinion
For subscribers
Smaller, faster, stronger: how to keep the lights on as storms get more violent
The cost associated with putting transmission lines underground has been considered unjustified, but the violent storm that rocked Victoria may require a rethink.
- by Tony Wood
Dutton goes nuclear on government’s renewable plans
The opposition leader is picking a fight with the government over energy policy, putting nuclear at the centre of the debate.
- by Mike Foley
Hundreds of Victorian transmission towers are rusty and at risk of damage
Almost one-in-seven of Victoria’s 13,000 electricity transmission towers have patchy or extensive rust, with experts warning the network is vulnerable to extreme weather.
- by Josh Gordon, Kieran Rooney and Broede Carmody
Origin fires up capacity in response to Victorian power outage
The energy giant is running its only power station in Victoria at full capacity to help stabilise the grid following Tuesday’s huge storm.
- by Simon Johanson
Victoria’s power dilemma: Reliability, resilience and a 40-year-old plant
The Latrobe Valley’s Loy Yang A is Victoria’s largest coal-fired power plant. It’s also old and unreliable – leaving taxpayers exposed.
- by Josh Gordon
Mass power outage puts spotlight on sturdiness of transmission towers
Gale force winds have yet again toppled transmission lines, raising questions about the ability of the electricity grid to cope with climate change.
- by Mike Foley