News
24 July, 2026
Forum to focus on data centres, gas plants
Local residents will have an opportunity to learn more about data centres and gas-fired power plants at a community forum being held in Moss Vale early next month (August).
Local residents will have an opportunity to learn more about data centres and gas-fired power plants at a community forum being held in Moss Vale early next month (August).
It comes as community concerns continue to grow about the size of a proposed gas-fired power plant at the Southern Highlands Innovation Park (SHIP) in Moss Vale.
The August 9 forum will feature a number of speakers including Greens Senator David Shoebridge and Greenpeace climate expert Simon Bradshaw.
Other speakers will include Dr Jacqui Duc and local community campaigners.
Nakar Property Pty Ltd (also trading as Cloud Carrier and Square Energy) received approval for a 14MW plant at 30 Douglas Road in April 2024.
Cloud Carrier subsequently submitted an application for 16MW plant – an application which is currently before the Land and Environment Court.
In December last year the Department of Planning issued SEARS for an additional 673.2MW plant – taking its total combined capacity to 703MW.
According to Stop the Gas Plant – a community campaign formed to fight the Moss Vale proposal – the 703MW power station would be the largest gas-fired power station in NSW and the third largest in Australia.
It would be located just 500 metres from the nearest homes in a precinct designated for clean, innovative industry.
Stop the Gas Plant says it is simply the wrong location and that when the initial data centre building was approved in 2021 there was no public documentation indicating a long-term commercial intent to co-locate a gas-fired power plant on the site.
“The Southern Highlands community will bear the full industrial impact of this development, including air quality, noise, visual amenity, hazard risk and traffic while receiving none of the economic benefit,” Stop the Gas Plant says.
“The electricity generated will not supply homes or local businesses. There are no community benefit agreements. There is no local jobs guarantee,” the groups says.
The Sunday, August 9 forum will be held at the Moss Vale RSL Club between 5pm and 7pm.
All welcome to attend.
· More information about the Moss Vale proposal and the community campaign to stop can be found online at www.stopthegasplant.com.au
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