Western Australia opens comment on proposed 870MW gas-fired power station near Perth

Western Australia's environmental watchdog has opened public comment on a proposed 870-megawatt gas-fired power station at Keralup, about 75 kilometres south of Perth. The project was released on the same day the state government set out plans to almost double renewable energy generation over the next five years. If approved, it would be the state's largest gas-fired power station.

The proposal is for the privately owned Keralup Energy Hub, developed by energy company APA. According to the material released for comment, the project would include a 210-megawatt facility linked to a future bio-fertiliser production plant and a 660-megawatt facility that would eventually connect to the South West Interconnected System, Western Australia's main electricity grid. The state's current largest gas-fired station, Pinjar, has a capacity of 576 megawatts, while the ongoing upgrade of the Kwinana Swift Power Station will lift its output to 340 megawatts.

The timing of the release has drawn attention because it comes alongside the government's push to expand renewable energy. Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said she did not want to pre-empt the approvals process when asked about the apparent contrast between the two announcements. She said the government's priority was to make Western Australia a renewable energy powerhouse.

She also warned that business electricity prices could rise by 89% by 2032 if renewable generation was not scaled up sharply. The government says the share of green power in the South West Interconnected System needs to rise from 40% to 75% over the next five years. That target underlines the scale of the transition facing the state's electricity system.

It also highlights the pressure on policymakers to balance new gas infrastructure with faster growth in solar, wind and battery storage. The proposal matters because it sits at the centre of a wider debate over how Western Australia will meet future power demand while cutting emissions. The state has linked its long-term energy strategy to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

At the same time, the business sector is being warned that prices could become more volatile if new generation does not keep pace with demand and supply risks. What remains unclear is how the public consultation will affect the project's timeline and whether the watchdog will recommend approval, changes or rejection. It is also not yet clear how the gas plant proposal will be weighed against the government's renewable energy targets in the final decision-making process.

The next key step will be the outcome of the approvals process and any further detail on how the Keralup site would be integrated into the state's power system.

#WesternAustralia #Keralup #gasfiredpowerstation #renewableenergy #APA