In October 2023, a study of Origin Energy's finances by...

In October 2023, a study of Origin Energy's finances by independent expert Grant Samuel suggested that extending the life of the Eraring power station beyond its 2025 proposed closure date would bring "little value" to the company. The study stated there is a "limited window (potentially around two or three years)" for the extension of the plant, but it would be costly to continue operating with an expected A$30 per tonne (US$18.93 per tonne) increase in the coal price in 2025 at a time of falling electricity tariffs.^[19]
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At the same time, October 2023 news suggested that the NSW state government continued pressuring Origin to keep the coal-fired power plant running past its planned retirement date in 2025.<sup>[20][21]

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Amid ongoing NSW government efforts to strike a deal with Origin, community members advocated against the use of public funding for the extension of Eraring power station beyond 2025. One protester was quoted insisting that "the planned closure of Eraring in 2025 plays a crucial role in the NSW government’s own emissions reduction plans and must proceed."<sup>[22]

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A January 2024 report by Clean Energy Finance argued that an expected surge in renewables and batteries would remove the need for the New South Wales government to provide subsidies to keep the Eraring coal plant open after 2025.^[23]