The state government will not financially back the proposed development of a concentrated solar thermal plant in Port Augusta.
During his visit at the weekend Jay Weatherill said the government is no longer in the business of electricity.
“I don’t think we’re interested in getting back in the business of power generation,” he said.
However Mr Weatherill said the government “broadly supports the ambition of solar thermal at Port Augusta”.
“We don’t run power stations any more,” he said.
“It’s ultimately a business decision for the operator of that plant [Alinta Energy].”
Read more in this week's edition of The Transcontinental.