Western Australia is moving into the next phase of its clean‑energy transition, with Premier Roger Cook reaffirming his government’s commitment to becoming the “first and only state” to switch off all state‑owned coal‑fired power stations by 2030.
Cook said the transition would rely on renewable energy, supported by battery storage and “firmed by gas,” but stressed that the state would not increase its reliance on gas. Instead, gas turbines like those at the Pinjar power station commissioned in 1989 would simply replace ageing assets nearing the end of their operational life.
“We need to do careful planning,” Cook told reporters on Sunday. “At this stage we are just going to the community consultation and planning phase.”
A government spokesperson said the energy replacing coal would come from renewables, including new wind farms in the Mid‑West, forming a key part of WA’s long‑term decarbonisation strategy.
However, the state government has not yet placed a price tag on the proposed project, noting that planning is still in its early stages.
The announcement underscores WA’s ambition to lead the nation in phasing out coal, even as the state works to balance reliability, affordability and emissions reduction during the transition.
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