Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro says gas from the Beetaloo Basin could save projects like the Tomago aluminium smelter in New South Wales.

Rio Tinto this week announced it could be forced to close the smelter by the end of 2028 due to rising energy costs.

But with 1,000 jobs at stake, Mrs Finocchiaro has told Sky News the solution could lie in the NT outback.

“Not just for this project of course but for the rest of the country,” she said.

“We have 200 years of gas in the Beetaloo Basin which is expected to come into production early-to-mid-next year and we’ve been really giving gas the green light here in the Territory.”

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Mrs Finocchiaro said the Beetaloo Basin - an onshore gas resource the size of Belgium - could secure Austra

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