This does not include any costs incurred through the building of extra railway, improved road access or the upgrade to transmission poles and wires that would also be required to service a new plant.

Power prices would likely increase if this were to go ahead, as compared to decrease when Oven Mountain is completed, as the pumped hydro project aims to firm up low cost, renewable power supply.

By storing excess power in times of high generation, and then releasing energy in low supply times, this hydro storage scheme will put downwards pressure on energy prices and prevent power shortfalls during times of high consumer demand.

Mr Smith also expressed concern about the state of the roads not being up to scratch in this area, but the company behind the Oven Mountain project plans to upgrade the local roads, improve telecommunications connectivity in that area and generate 30 ongoing jobs for its 50+ year life span.

This project will also link in with the other renewable energy projects being built in the New England Renewable Energy Zone. All these reasons are possibly why alternative options to coal are being so seriously explored.

Alice Milson, Calala

Why our Prime Minister Scott Morrison insists on a slow transition by using outdated natural gas technology lagging behind the rest of the world instead of leadership in the best country in the world to go for cheaper alternatives.

Energy needed by our industries to compete with other countries in the export of our industrial products like agriculture, machinery and so on. As an aged pensioner I cannot afford our unbelievably expensive electricity. I am flat out to overcome what I believe is a confidence trick - of course the government can reduce power bills.

It is thanks to John Howard's incompetent government that the private energy companies are now rubbing their hands together as they look at the liquid gold flowing into their piggy banks.

On 2/8/20 Prime 7 Evening News reported a motor vessel in the port of Corpus Christi in Texas accidentally pierced a high pressure gas pipeline in an almost deserted industrial area resulting in four deaths with six injured. The crew of the vessel were instantly incinerated; what was left of the motor vessel sank on the spot.

History has shown that where there is a small fire an uncontrollable flame normally follows. The amount of time it takes to get out of control can result in people being injured or killed. The Narrabri Gas Project is an accident waiting to happen. It has been sited in an earthquake area where a 3.6 magnitude quake occurred very recently directly under Split Rock Dam. These happen on an average of three years as far back as records go. God help us that people who should be smart are being reckless.

Gas to the Hunter means global warming; Lake Liddell is the radiator to dump the waste heat of natural gas dumped directly into our atmosphere. Global warming on a large scale.

In 1950 the English proved natural gas was more efficiently used in a diesel engine by cutting the diesel fuel by 95 per cent, with only 5 per cent used to ignite the gas. Chinese peasants using hand tools did this in the 1960s and 70s, in one of Chairman Mao Tse-tung's great leaps forward. It is so very simple to do. We seem to be so useless I could hang my head and cry. How these people - who have a dozen advisors each - still miss-manage the resources they already have?

Lindsay Bridge, Quirindi

Saturday's NDL Barnaby Joyce letter seems to imply his government provided the majority of the $30m via the government supported GRDC for Tamworth Chickpea centre. GRDC is largely funded by grower levies ($114M compared to $69M from government. 2018-19 report). Perhaps it would be more truthful to announce how much his government is providing directly.

Dungowan dam funding has not ensured Tamworth water security because TRC can't control the dam.

Water investment subsidies have been seen as a dismal failure and appear to be subject to rorting. No publicly available water licence holder register is available and any attempt to provide one has been voted against by the National party. Numerous reports over many years have shown the Bradfield scheme is not cost effective and would have dramatic environmental effects.

How successful has the APVMA move really been. Many scientists left and quite a few still work in Canberra.

Thanks for the enlightening letter, but how about you tackle the real issues and move a private members bill to establish a Federal ICAC with teeth, not the hobbled creature currently proposed, or are you all fearful that individual actions will be held accountable. A strong ICAC would be truly popular, have no environmental impacts or effect party donations....or would it?

Graeme Harris, Tamworth