In Vic the State Electricity Commission was backed by Government but raised its own debt finance, and serviced the debt, so it was not taxpayer funded in the main.
When Jeff Kennett privatised it (no choice, ALP had bankrupted the State) the proceeds were used to retire debt obligations of taxpayers.
Similar arrangements in other States, and QLD, WA and Tas the only states with significant power generation in State Owned Companies.
I suggest we wait a few decades till renewables truly become cost effective, and build them then. Liddel PS should not be allowed to close, even if it means forcing AGL to sell it to say ERM. I am nervous about the turmoil that would surround building new HELE plants, and would prefer to see our power shortfall sourced from mobile facilities like Powerships. Indonesia has 5 Powerships totalling around 2000MW on charter from an international builder-operator, using state of the art turbocharged lean-burn internal combustion engines that coexist with renewable much better than gas or steam turbines, and are also more efficient.
AGL selected same engines for SA's Barker Inlet development of around 200MW.
Fuel is gas from pipe or LNG, or low sulphur fuel oil which competes with gas quite favourably in certain locations.
