WA’s gas crisis will hit hard this week as high energy costs force businesses to decide whether to shut down and lay off workers, the state government has warned.

The WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) has estimated 14 per cent of 83 companies it recently surveyed may shut down or will be shutting down soon.

Apache Energy says it will be two months before partial gas supplies are resumed at its Varanus Island gas plant, where a June 3 explosion cut off one-third of the state's domestic gas supply.

WA Premier Alan Carpenter said today said businesses which switch from gas-fired electricity to diesel fired electricity will face far higher electricity costs. ... Read full article