Albany residents cut off from mains gas to get compensation
After months of uncertainty, the WA government announces a transition package for the thousands of residents and businesses impacted by gas supplier ATCO's decision to walk away from a regional city's mains gas network.
Albany residents are set to be disconnected from the mains gas network later this year, with the gas supplier ATCO voluntarily contributing $5.5 million to a $21 million fund for those affected. The fund, announced by the WA government, will help transition 6,000 businesses and homes to bottled gas or electricity. Despite the support, local residents and business owners are concerned the assistance will not be sufficient for many, forcing them onto gas bottles.
Electrician Hayden Jones, who owns a laundromat requiring significant upgrades for electrification, expressed his frustration, stating the electrification costs could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. The WA government has also committed to assessing the capacity of local trades to meet the high demand for transitioning services over the next three years.
Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson stated the package aims to provide customers with a choice between electrification or bottled gas, reinforcing the state government's commitment to decarbonising through electricity. However, Greens WA leader Brad Pettitt criticized the government's decision to focus on gas as "very silly," advocating for electric households as a safer, cleaner, and ultimately cheaper option.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
