❓ Question regarding the delay in a decision about a wind farm proposal. The Minister defends the delay, citing the complexity of integrating wind power into the grid and potential stability issues, referencing advice from Western Power.
AnsweredQoN 823Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I ask a supplementary question. I asked the minister also whether he can confirm that this proposal has been before him for six months, and when will he make a decision about it? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
The matter is both before the Western Power management and board, and before me. Due to the complexity of the issues, all of the parties have been - Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: The matter is both before the Western Power management and board, and before me. Due to the complexity of the issues, all of the parties have been - Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
The matter is both before the Western Power management and board, and before me. Due to the complexity of the issues, all of the parties have been - Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: The matter is both before the Western Power management and board, and before me. Due to the complexity of the issues, all of the parties have been - Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
The matter is both before the Western Power management and board, and before me. Due to the complexity of the issues, all of the parties have been - Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Complexity! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: Does the Leader of the Opposition think it would be responsible of me to allow a wind farm to be connected to the network and to cause stability problems in the network? Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Go to Albany and see how it is done! Go to Esperance and see how it is done! Go to Denham and see how it is done! Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: Th problem is that it is incremental. Every time we put on an additional wind farm we run the risk that the problems will be exacerbated. Western Power has advised me that there may be an absolute limit to the amount of wind power that can be connected to the system. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get alternative electrical engineering advice and present it to me, I will be happy to receive it. However, I do not think it is responsible for a minister to say that he knows better than the electrical engineers and he will allow something to be connected to the network that may be dangerous to the network. I will not behave like that. I will properly consider the engineering advice that I get. I will not be a cowboy like the Leader of the Opposition was when he was in charge of energy matters.
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