Sky News host Andrew Bolt said Australia is becoming increasingly reliant on unreliable wind and solar power following the closure of the Liddell coal plant.

The critique highlights a growing political divide over the Labor government's energy transition strategy and the perceived risks to grid stability in New South Wales.

Bolt said that the shift toward renewables and expensive battery storage creates a volatile energy environment. He pointed to the Liddell coal power station as a previous benchmark for stability, noting it produced more than 10 percent [1] of the electricity for New South Wales.

"Liddell for many years produced more than 10 per cent of NSW's electricity, night or day, windy or still, like renewables never could," Bolt said. He described the facility as reliable and cheap, adding that it was "killed by our global warming religion."

According to Bolt, the current energy model lacks the consistency of coal-fired power. He said that instead of relying on plants like Liddell, the nation is now depending on wind and solar generation backed by costly battery systems.

Dan Tehan, Manager of Opposition Business, also addressed the government's approach to energy. Tehan said the ideological nature of the current energy policy is making the country "incredibly vulnerable to supply shocks."

While Bolt focused on the intermittency of renewable sources, Tehan emphasized different strategic concerns. Tehan said that the transition increases a reliance on China for energy components, which he argued puts the national energy transition at risk.

“Liddell for many years produced more than 10 per cent of NSW's electricity, night or day, windy or still”

This debate reflects a broader tension between Australia's climate goals and energy security. By contrasting the steady output of retired coal plants with the variable nature of renewables, critics are questioning whether the current pace of the transition is matched by sufficient storage and baseload capacity to prevent supply shocks.