A NEW solar farm[1] delivered in conjunction with Mount Isa Mines will fail to deliver on the “dream” of affordable power KAP Federal MP, Bob Katter has warned.

He said that the 15-year contract with Mount Isa Mines to deliver the Mica Creek solar farm could spell disaster for developing and accessing the rich minerals province within the region.

“Solar power is quadruple the price of existing coal fired power and this project locks Mount Isa and Cloncurry into the most expensive power regime,” he said.

“People think it is free but there is an enormous capital cost in producing high tech silicon and other metallurgical additives required in the solar cells.

“It only lasts for 20 years and needs to be maintained closely, washed down every two weeks, plus they are enormously costly in terms of CO2 and in terms of capital outlay.

“But to be looking for other solutions when CopperString is an imperative beggars belief.

“Let me state very clearly, metal production from the north west mineral province will be halved unless we can secure cheap power.”

Mr Katter said the greatest prerequisite for industry of any type is cheap power.

“Backloading of coal gave us cheap power in Mount Isa, and as a former Minister for Mines and Energy, we got Mount Isa Mines onto cheap gas. A decade later gas prices skyrocketed, hence the necessity of going on the national grid.

“Aluminum and zinc processing came to Queensland at the time because we had the cheapest electricity in the world.

“This project shows the desperation with Mount Isa Mines and other users for electricity.

“It will be another four or five years before CopperString comes online, and I must state finally, that unless we get CopperString, we will be like the Chinese woman’s bound feet. We will never be able to grow our mineral province.”

Mr Katter warned that unless CopperString happens, a number of other proposed projects may never see the light of day.

“Many remarkable, exciting developments are underway with the Yi Pi Pi canal and a major fertilizer plant. But projects of this size – $4,000 million a year – will be seriously constricted if they cannot get access to reasonably priced power,” Mr Katter said.

1] APA Group expands $150m solar project to supply Qld mines (afr.com)