Many Novacastrians Paying More for Electricity Bills this Week

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Some Newcastle residents will be paying more for electricity this week, following a number of letters being sent out by Energy Australia warning of a price hike.

Newcastle MP, Sharon Claydon said she was contacted by a number of residents who received letters from Energy Australia, warning of the increase as a result of increasing supply costs.

Energy Australia states in the letter, "After two years of holding prices flat while supply costs have increased significantly, we've made the difficult decision to adjust our prices with inflation."

The MP is criticizing the Federal Government for asserting energy prices are going down, when whole sale power prices have apparently risen by more than 20 percent since the appointment of Energy Minister Angus Taylor in August 2018.

"At a time when electricity disconnections are already at record highs, and we've got incomes stagnating or indeed going backwards in some cases, another spike in electricity costs will just be the straw that breaks the camels back," she said.

Sharon Claydon says more focus on renewable energies would help combat these price hikes.

"We're in this crazy situation where we've got an incredible wealth of renewable resources in Australia, we could be riding a wave of renewable energy investment and forcing those power prices down," she said.

"But instead investment in renewable energy plummeted by more than 60 percent in the last year."

Sophisticated drug house uncovered at Kotara

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A tip off from a member of the public led police to an elaborate drug house in Kotara this morning.

At about 8:30am police executed a search warrant for the house on Marshall Street and uncovered the sophisticated hydroponic drug set-up, but no one was found to be home.

More than 150 cannabis plants were found in various stages of growth and Detective Inspector Peter Mahon says the house was completely transformed.

"Each room in the premises, about five of, were in various stages of growing cannabis plants. The bathroom was set up as a filtration/fertilising watering system for the whole house. Power had been diverted from the line coming into the  house and there was a sophisticated network of electricity cables, switches, and cables were also located."

As a result of the power being diverted, Energy Australia was brought in to disconnect the power to make it safe for officers to continue their search of the house

Police Rescue, forensic services, detectives from Newcastle and some linked to the target action group as well as external agencies were called in to remove the plants and dismantle the set-up.

"Investigations are ongoing. At this stage what we're basically doing is dismantling the premises and then go to the next level of identifying who is responsible for this offence," said Inspector Mahon.

Police aren't in a position to comment on just how much the plants would be worth, but they can be sure it would be quite the enterprise and some of the plants were mature enough to be close to being harvested.

"If anyone is out there and wants to provide further information in relation to those responsible, by all means, contact us here at Newcastle Police or call Crime Stoppers."

Crime Stoppers can be reached on 1800 333 000.

Police dismantling a hydroponic set up at Kotara. 150 cannabis plants found following a tip off from the public. @nbnnews pic.twitter.com/QTvLUnKid1

— Meredith Gibbs (@meredith_gibbs) September 6, 2017

Gas leak in East Maitland

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Emergency services are still on the scene of a gas leak in East Maitland.

Crews were called to Quarry Street just before 9am this morning where its reported excavation workers ruptured a 110mm medium pressure gas main.

An exclusion zone was put in place 100m around the worksite, and 17 people were evacuated - they've now been able to return.

Around 30 firefighters were on site in breathing apparatuses and there were high gas readings within the exclusion zone.

Repairs to the gas main did require further excavations which are still underway.

Energy Australia were called to the site as well with around 290 homes also having their power cut as a precaution.