More blackouts as big projects drain power

Australian
9 September 2011, Page: 5

QUEENSLANDERS face up to 143 minutes of blackouts in 2012-13 because of soaring demand for power and pressure on its electricity generation capacity, new modelling finds. New simulations conducted by the Australian Energy Market Operator, to be released today, conclude that the "unserved energy' in Queensland could rise from nine minutes in 2011-12 to 2.39 hours the next year. This is because while liquefied natural gas and coalmining projects are driving up power demand, the state is set to need extra power stations. This year, NSW can expect 29 minutes of blackouts, Victoria 21 minutes, and South Australia 23 minutes. For Victoria and SA, there will be more time lost in outages the next year as the balance between power demand and supplies tightens. The situation would be worse and the outages longer if power stations were to exit the market.

However, under the government's clean energy plan, the paid closure of big emissions intensive power plants in Victoria and SA is not expected to happen until later in the decade. But these figures which do not account for outages caused by events on the energy poles and wires and transmission infrastructure, such as faults at sub-stations still comply with the standards for the National Electricity Market Management Company that connects the southern and eastern states.

AEMO boss Matt Zema said the system would still have sufficient reserves. He also revealed that the AEMO was investigating how the NEM could deal with significant levels of wind farms and still be secure. He said the growing use of wind turbines could have an impact on the performance of the power system. By 2020, 20% of Australia's electricity will be sourced from wind, solar and other renewable sources under a mandatory federal target. According to the AEMO, the government's carbon tax plan would have a "limited" impact on power system operations to mid-2013. In part, that is because rising electricity prices could push down demand for power and power stations are set to receive financial assistance.