A solar farm in Queensland has ceased operations after its owner, Doug Scouller, cited an unworkable agreement with Ergon Energy. For eight years, Scouller's Normanton Solar Farm provided power to homes and businesses across a region nearly twice the size of Tasmania. However, he has now been forced to shut down the facility due to financial constraints.

Scouller described the latest power purchasing agreement (PPA) from Ergon Energy as "completely commercially unviable." He stated, "I'm not going to pay them to produce power for them, so I was left with no option but to turn the power station off because I couldn't afford to keep it going." The new PPA would have increased his costs by over $10,000 each month, with some offers resulting in negative payments for the power generated. "Most of the day, they're offering me a minus figure for the power, so in effect, that means I have to pay them to produce power for them," he explained.

An Ergon Energy spokesperson acknowledged the confidentiality of the negotiations but noted that Scouller had the option to renew his contract to sell power to Ergon Retail or other buyers. They stated, "We continue to be available to discuss the situation with Mr. Scouller, should he choose to contact us."

Before receiving the new PPA, Scouller was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Ergon Energy. Despite this, he chose to speak publicly about his situation, saying, "I could be in trouble, which doesn't really matter. It's just a very sad story."

The Normanton Solar Farm produced approximately 10,000 megawatt hours of energy annually, serving every property in the Carpentaria shire. Scouller noted that residents were seeking more affordable energy options. He expressed concern over the impact of the shutdown, stating, "Very early in the piece, we had to borrow a certain amount of money, but we've been chugging along paying all that back. But now, with no income because my hand has been forced, the real possibility of ruin is staring at me in the face."

Scouller's difficulties with Ergon Energy are not new. When he built the solar farm in 2017, he claimed he was promised compensation for the value added to the energy lines, which he said never materialized. In 2024, his personal electricity bill unexpectedly surged from about $1,000 to over $6,000 per month, categorizing him as an "independently calculated customer," a classification typically reserved for large electricity users.

Carpentaria Shire Mayor Jack Bawden expressed disappointment over the solar farm's closure. He remarked, "We're famous up in this country for 'dirty power' and have been for years until Doug came along with the solar farm." He explained that "dirty power" refers to energy with voltage fluctuations that can damage electronic devices. Bawden noted that the solar farm had stabilized the power supply, reducing the risk of damaging surges and brownouts.

A spokesperson for Queensland Energy Minister David Janetzki stated that the matter remains commercially confidential and did not provide further comments on the situation.