Stuart Hohnen

The DomGas Alliance says the federal government's emissions trading scheme could lead to higher gas and electricity prices, domestic gas shortages and undermine the country's efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The owner of the Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline has announced further expansion plans after receiving additional firm capacity requests from existing and prospective users of the pipeline.

A shortage of gas supplies in the South West is likely to result in Collie coal miner Griffin Group becoming the dominant supplier of new electricity generation in Western Australia in the coming years.

The owner of the Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline has opted for a staged capacity expansion, fuelling speculation that planned expansion projects at Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery and BHP Billiton's Worsley Alumina refinery will be deferred.