Generators

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:30): Supplementary: given that the minister said that there will be approximately four hours of fuel for operating the generators, does that mean that after four hours—assuming the tanks are full at the start of the four hours—one full fuel tanker per hour will need to be delivered to the site and discharged to the site every hour?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:31): That question makes no sense. APR can have sufficient storage on site to run these generators continuously. I doubt that they will operate them continuously. Ultimately, like you do with any other fuel source, you can have fuel sources shipped in, trucked in, brought in as needed to restock, to refuel to maintain continuous operation. I doubt very much that there would be any need for continuous operation.

Ultimately, we will make sure that we have sufficient reserves to make sure that we can maintain system security over the summer. It is much better to have state-owned generators as a supply backup rather than relying on the private sector. I do note the policy difference between the opposition and the government: the government wants a state-owned generator; the opposition want more privatisation.