Energy roadmap delivers savings for Hervey Bay

HERVEY Bay households have been promised real relief under the Queensland government’s newly released Energy Roadmap, a statewide plan the government says will lower power bills while safeguarding reliability and future investment.

Central to the strategy is what the government describes as a “sensible transition” — maintaining existing coal and gas assets while accelerating private investment in renewables, storage and firming projects.

The aim, it argues, is to avoid the price shocks and reliability risks associated with rapid, ideologically driven change.

Modelling attached to the plan claims a $26 billion reduction in system costs by 2035, preventing the average household from paying an additional $1,035 each year.

State Member for Hervey Bay David Lee has welcomed the plan, saying, “The Energy Roadmap is geared to put downward pressure on energy prices, by delivering affordable and reliable energy and that’s a win for everyone.”

He said the strategy offers long-term certainty, adding, “The Road Map provides clarity for the future of coal and gas while also supporting the private sector investment in renewable energy, and it is based on economics and engineering, not ideology.”

Treasurer and Minister for Energy David Janetzki echoed those sentiments, stating, “Our Energy Roadmap delivers what Queenslanders need, which is affordable and reliable energy that enhances their quality of life, fuels economic growth, and ensures long-term sustainability.”

The Roadmap includes a $400 million Queensland Energy Investment Fund,
a $1.6 billion Electricity Maintenance Guarantee, new gas generation, investment in community batteries and improved oversight of pumped hydro proposals.

Transmission upgrades, including progress on the Copper String project, also feature prominently.

With Queensland’s relatively young coal fleet, the government insists it holds
a competitive advantage, stating, “Queensland’s coal-fired fleet is the youngest in the country.”

Whether the Roadmap delivers on its cost-saving promises will be closely watched, but for communities like Hervey Bay, the prospect of lower bills and greater certainty is a welcome starting point.