AGL hits back at Barnaby Joyce claim it is 'shorting' the energy market

'It is not possible to short a market by giving seven years' notice of closure,' company says as dispute over Liddell power station flares up

AGL Energy has categorically rejected arguments from the Turnbull government that it is abusing its market power, saying if it wanted to benefit commercially from the closure of the Liddell power plant it would have shuttered the facility with no warning.

An AGL spokesman hit back at an accusation from the former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce that it was "shorting" the market by hanging on to the ageing coal-fired power plant. "It is not possible to short a market by giving seven years' notice of closure," the spokesman said.