Antinuclear

Plans were confirmed yesterday to build a sprawling hi-tech solar thermal power plant just outside the regional city.

Residents, environmentalists and politicians have lobbied for years to secure the renewable energy source as the city faced the closure of its long-standing Northern coal-fired power station.

Yesterday they recorded a much-anticipated victory which will benefit the Upper Spencer Gulf region, and the wider state.

US-based company SolarReserve will stump up $650 million to erect the plant, featuring 12,000 “billboard-sized” mirrors focusing the sun’s rays to a point atop a 227m tower to a temperature of 565C.

The technology will enable the mirrors to follow and reflect the sun’s rays with pinpoint precision.

SolarReserve executives said they chose the Port Augusta site, in part, because it boasts workers skilled in power plant operations, who will be buoyed by the new employment prospect.

About 700 direct jobs, and up to 4000 indirect roles, will be created as a result.

The site could even prove to be a tourist attraction, like a similar – but smaller – plant in the American state of Nevada.

And the increased energy market competition should contribute to lower prices for all users.

Unlike previous construction job creators, such as the new RAH or South Rd upgrades, no taxpayer funding was needed for the project.

Instead, the State Government has signed a contract to buy all the power it requires for the next two decades – and at a cheap price, according to the Premier.

South Australia has faced searing criticism in recent months for its unstable energy supply and desperately needs a baseload generator like this to improve reliability and costs.