Hydrogen Power Plant

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. What are the government's plans for the hydrogen power plant site just outside Whyalla, and what is the nature of the works currently occurring on site?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (15:04): The member might not know this, and that's probably my fault for not telling enough people, but the upgrades to transmission works that are occurring in the Upper Spencer Gulf are a regulated asset upgrade. The good thing about that is, given that the commonwealth government and the state government are investing billions of dollars into the administration in Whyalla and its repurposing for a decarbonized tool-manufacturing process, which is direct iron reduction and an electric arc furnace, you are going to need greater electricity services into Whyalla.

In terms of the site itself, the government purchased the site. It's in a strategic location, it's strategic land, and ElectraNet and SA Power Networks are doing their works. I think it is important to remember that we are attempting as much as possible to capitalise on the work that we have done to assist Whyalla because, ultimately, the reason we chose Whyalla as a location of the hydrogen electrolyser we were proposing to build was because it was adjacent to world-class magnetite mines and to an existing steelworks.

The reason we chose that site is that we wanted ultimately to use the hydrogen in a decarbonisation process. It is not a matter of political ideology: it is a matter of science. If you want to remove the oxides, you need to have a reductant. A reductant traditionally has been coking coal. You can move towards gas, but ultimately to make green steel you need to use hydrogen.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The when will be never if you are ever Premier, because the never that you say fundamentally misunderstands what hydrogen is for. Members opposite thought we were going to use hydrogen to burn it in the steelworks, with no understanding of what a reductant was.

Mr Patterson: No, you were going to use it to produce electricity. That was the plan.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You were hearing the Leader of the Opposition—

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mad dog's back. He's back! He's back; he's off the leash.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I think Mr Pangallo's got a competitor. He's got a competitor; from watchdog to mad dog. I know the member for Morphett is getting excitable as we get closer to March. What I would say is to use all the talents he had at the Collingwood Football Club to learn to withstand the pressure. It's okay. It will be over soon, don't worry. Don't worry, it will be okay. We are here. If you want to talk, I'm here. If you want to talk, I'm up for a conversation. Alright? Let me know.

As I said, we are very keen to make sure that all the investments we have made to date can ultimately be used for the benefit of the people of Whyalla for steelmaking in Australia, maintaining our sovereign capability, something that we believe passionately in, and I just wish members opposite did as well.