Highlights
- Traditional owners and people living in remote Indigenous communities near the projected Sun Cable project say the future is in community-led projects.
- Marlinja community is empowering First Nations people to be leaders in renewables.
- Some Traditional Owners say they’re yet to hear of any local benefits.
Aboriginal communities taking up the challenge to bring green energy to the Red Centre.
Northern Territory Government has yet to set a price for solar power accessed through prepaid meters.
The task would require updating electricity pricing guidelines in the Northern Territory.
According to Chansey Paech, the Minister for Indigenous Essential Services, they are working on solutions.
"We are working with Jacana Energy around the tariff system because this is new territory but we’re absolutely committed to finding a solution.”
Once done, 10,000 prepaid meter customers from low-income and Indigenous communities could potentially benefit from solar power.
And with wet season temperatures creeping into the 40s, medical professionals like Simon Quilty, an Alice Springs doctor, say affordable energy must become a priority.
“Extreme heat that disrupts the power system even for a couple of hours can destroy their medications and destroy the contents of their food and is immediately life- threatening. It’s a very significant and life-threatening issue.”