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''The Age'' reported that the Minister for Energy, [[Michael O'Brien]] "said the EPA decision meant Victoria could continue to use its vast brown coal reserves at a significantly lower level of emissions. But he added: 'The future of this project … is, of course, a commercial decision for HRL.'"<ref name="No"/>
===HRL's bid for even more handouts===
However, after the EPA decision the ''Australian Financial Review'' revealed that prior to the Victorian state election in November 2010 HRL had sought almost $600 million in public subsidies to make the project viable. Ammthew Dunkley reported that a brief prpared for the new government in October 2010 stated that the cost of the proposed plant had increased from $750 million to $1.3 billion and that the company was facing a "significant financial shortfall" largely because of the collapse of the federal government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. The briefing discussed the pitch by HRL to the Brumby government that it buy the plants electricity output at a cost of approximately $384 million via a 15 year power purchase agreement. The briefing stated that HRL was "requesting that government essentially underwrite the reveue risk for 15 years". In return the company proposed that the duividends from the project, worth about $180 million, would be passed on to the government. If a carbon price was introduced the company argued the state government's contribution would fall. The former Minister for Energy, Peter Batchelor, wanted an in-principle agreement before the election was called but the government did not support his view.<ref name="Handout">Matthew Dunckley, [http://afr.com/p/national/clean_coal_plant_sought_handout_2Z13PDc389sT8u3463VEKJ "Clean coal plant sought $600m handout"], ''Australian Financial Review'', May 25, 2011. (Subscription required).</ref>
The brief also reported that HRL had also sought an additional $200 million from the federal government. Hever, the company had been told this was unlikely. The briefing argued against providing further support stating that it would undermine possible investment in other gas-fired generation. The Baillieu government's Minister for Energy, Michael O'Brien stated that the company had not raised the idea of a power purchase agreement with the Coalition.<ref name="Handout"/>
==Citizens groups campaigning against the project==
