NSW Nationals Member of the Legislative Council Nichole Overall is warning the ACT’s transition away from natural gas could have cost and supply implications for customers across the border in Queanbeyan and surrounding communities.

Mrs Overall raised the issue with the NSW Energy Minister in parliament this week, arguing the government needed to consider the consequences of declining ACT gas demand for NSW customers sharing the network.

Evoenergy operates an interconnected gas network supplying about 153,000 customers across the ACT and Queanbeyan-Palerang region.

“The gas network doesn’t stop at the border, and yet again we’re seeing that neither do the consequences of Canberra’s poor planning decisions,” Mrs Overall said.

The ACT has banned new gas connections and is progressively transitioning homes and businesses away from natural gas as part of its target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2045.

Mrs Overall said declining demand in the ACT could have implications for the affordability and reliability of gas supplied to Queanbeyan, Bungendore and surrounding NSW communities.

“As Canberra drives down demand, NSW customers could be left carrying the can,” she said.

She also pointed to concerns previously raised by Master Plumbers ACT about the transition, including its potential effects on businesses, industry and jobs.

Mrs Overall is calling on the NSW government to examine the cross-border consequences of the ACT’s gas transition and its potential impact on NSW customers.

Mrs Overall also pointed at other examples of the ACT government creating wider cross-border impacts through its policies, including the Parkwood development’s water supply and the transport of ACT waste into NSW.

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