The ACT Government has ordered an environmental impact study for the controversial power station and data centre planned for Tuggeranong a move that will delay any decision on the project until well after October's election.
Planning Minister Andrew Barr announced the study yesterday after receiving a preliminary assessment from the ACT Planning and Land Authority.
Project opponents, who say the Government should have ordered an environmental study months ago, dismissed the move was an attempt to avoid a voter backlash.
ACTPLA's report also identifies many instances where information on the project is missing or issues have not been tackled, such as potential gas supply disruptions and noise pollution.
A consortium led by energy supplier ActewAGL has submitted plans to build a $1billion gas-fired power station and data centre in Tuggeranong near the Mugga Lane tip.
Residents are concerned about the project's potential health effects. They say it will be located 600m from the nearest home.
ACTPLA chief planner Neil Savery said the environmental study would focus on three key gaps in information flora and fauna, heritage issues and community health.
He said, ''It's not that anyone's done anything wrong: it's just that we don't believe there's adequate information there, given the scale of the project, to make a decision.''
The project is already under scrutiny from two other public bodies. The ACT Auditor-General is carrying out an inquiry while a group of independent experts examines its impact on public health.
ACTPLA will draft the study's terms of reference in the next two weeks and the consortium will hire an independent consultant to carry it out. The exercise is expected to take months. This move means that any decision on the power station and data centre will now not be made until the end of next March, months after the October poll.
ActewAGL chairman Michael Costello said the project's backers were confident the environmental study would answer all ACTPLA's questions about the site. ''That's what we've always said. 'Let us all follow the process that's been laid down. Have a proper judgment made, and when the judgment's made by the proper authorities then everyone accepts it.'
''If it's yes, then we're delighted; if it's no, then we accept it.''
For his part, Mr Barr rejected the suggestion that the move was an election tactic, saying instead that it showed the planning process was transparent and open.
''This is the planning process working effectively. We have legislation in place that enables this particular process, an assessment by the Planning Authority of the preliminary process.
''They've undertaken that work and indicated that they require further information from the proponents and that the appropriate avenue for that information is an EIS [environmental impact statement]. That's exactly as the legislation intends.''
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