$800m power station promises jobs boost
Posted
A gas-fired power station proposed for the Port Fairy area, in south-west Victoria, could generate more than 700 new jobs.
Oil and gas company Santos wants to build the $800 million plant at Orford, north of Port Fairy.
The company says it will need more than 700 workers to build the plant and a 100 kilometre underground gas pipeline.
When it is operational, the plant would create 35 jobs.
Santos expects the plant to produce 500 megawatts of energy by 2012, with 1,500 megawatts possible by 2020.
Victorian Treasurer John Lenders says that would boost the state's electricity generation by almost one fifth.
"It is a significant increase and it could be servicing up to two million homes at the second stage," he said.
The project is subject to approval from governments and a final sign-off by the company.
