Some 70 people, more than half Dalton’s population, poured into the church hall for a meeting on Thursday night. They were there to discuss AGL’s plans for a $1.5 billion gas fired power station, 4km north of the town.

The project was approved in 2012 but the company put a hold on development until “market conditions improved.” Now, with the approval lapsing in July, AGL is applying to the Department of Planning for a two-year extension while it decides the power station’s viability. 

Locals who thought the plan was “dead and buried” feared AGL could apply for a further modification, ramping up the station to a base load plant.

They are planning a full-frontal assault including political lobbying, media campaigning and social media engagement. The Australians Against AGL Power Project Facebook page is already up and running. 

Residents on Thursday were united in their opposition. They’re objecting to potential environmental, amenity, water, dust and noise impacts, among others.

“Why are we settling for a gas fired power station when there are contracts underway right now in South Australia to store the same amount of solar energy as this gas plant will produce, for six times less than the cost of this plant,” co-meeting host and Dalton man Royce Daviss asked.

“...AGL is having a lend of us. This is imprudent, inappropriate and unfair.”

Locals say they also feel “steamrolled” by the process. AGL lodged its modification application under Part 3A transitional planning arrangements. The controversial Part 3A was repealed in 2011, amid developer influence claims. But interim arrangements apply to the DA because the project was approved under the legislation.

Meeting host Phil Waine said as such, the Planning Minister had discretion on whether to accept AGL’s extension request and people had “limited rights of appeal.” He urged them to “get active” politically and to bombard the Department with public submissions by the April 13 closing date.

The Department extended the time period by two weeks following residents’ lobbying.

Mr Waine told the meeting he made no apology for being ‘biased.’ He became emotional addressing the meeting.

“I don’t want to move,” he told a packed hall.

He moved to Dalton 15 years ago with his family “seeking clean air and a good lifestyle.” But for more than five years he’s been fighting AGL’s proposal, immersing himself in planning documents and rallying the community.

Before the 2012 approval, community agitation scored vital wins on consent conditions and exploded some of AGL’s data, he told the meeting.

“It’s been a shit fight all the way through,” he said.

“...We need to hit up our local politicians, let them know we’re constituents and that we matter. There are some skinny margins out there.”

Mr Waine is encouraging people to be just as “vigilant” this time and assume that the company intends to develop the plant, despite claims it is only weighing up its viability.

Another Dalton resident Leslie Bush echoes his concerns and fear for the future. She and her husband own grazing property ‘Springwood,’ 2km from the village. They’re trying to build a home for her elderly parents-in-law, Myrtle and Lester Bush, whose house burnt down last year. It will be constructed on the same property, the closest to the proposed gas fired plant.

“We’re very scared and worried about the impact on property prices,” Mrs Bush said.

“Everything we have is our retirement and if prices drop as much as estimated, there won’t be anything left for our kids. How do you compensate for seven generations?”

But Gunning residents are just as concerned. Margarita Georgiadis does not relish the prospect of hundreds of construction trucks passing through the town where she and husband Max Cullen run the Picture House Gallery and bookshop.

“Over the past 10 years it has taken off and we really rely on the grey nomad dollar. We’re getting more people dropping in so we’re really upset this (project) could happen,” she said.

“No one wants to put up with that type of noise barreling through their town.”

Dalton district property owner and former Bathurst school principal John Edwards argued it was a “myth” that gas could solve Australia’s base load power problems.

“This needs to be responded to,” he said.

He said provided inter-connectors were organised properly, the grid could rely on the current power, solar and renewables, which he believed were the future.

“Spending $1.5 billion on a gas fired power station is just not viable. It is expensive environmentally, economically and socially and it is just dumb. We need to be at the forefront of a changing world, not at the back of it,” he said.

Dalton octogenarian Arthur Bollen lives 2km from the planned power stations. He said he didn’t want a repeat of 2011/12 when AGL asked him to sign a confidentiality agreement. Mr Bollen didn’t oblige.

“I’ll be the most affected noise wise,” he said.

“They offered to double glaze my windows and insulate my roof. They told me the windows and doors would rattle and I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.”

During testing, Mr Bollen claimed his water bore dropped 50cm in 30 minutes. AGL will source water from bores.

He described the project’s possibility as “very stressful” and said it had “mucked the community around.” 

An AGL spokesman said the company supported the time extension for public submissions.

“Our community engagement will focus on understanding key issues of concern and building respectful relationships in the community,” he said.

“AGL is establishing a Community Consultative Committee (CCC) that will enable us to engage with members of the community while we assess the need for the proposal. We will be running advertised information sessions in early April, to provide members of the community with more information on the CCC.”

In the meantime it will provide opportunities for feedback through community updates, its website, a community hotline and email address.

“It is important to note that the application to extend the approval does not change the scope or design of the project,” the spokesman said.

“If built, the proposed Dalton power station would contribute to ensuring a secure supply of electricity for NSW, and help keep downward pressure on prices.

“Gas is a critical part of the energy mix as we transition from carbon-intensive energy sources to more intermittent renewable energy.

“The project is a peaking power station, meaning it can be operated when more electricity supply is needed to meet customer demand.”