Australia’s electricity market is not agile and innovative enough to keep up

The rules were written at a time when coal
and gas were the only major options. 

On the early evening of Wednesday, February 8, electricity supply to some 90,000 households and businesses in South Australia was cut off for up to an hour. 

Two days later, all electricity consumers in New South Wales were warned the same could happen to them. It didn’t, but apparently only because supply was cut to the Tomago aluminium smelter instead. 

In Queensland, it was suggested consumers might also be at risk over the two following days, even though it was a weekend, and again on Monday, February 13. What is going on?

The first point to note is that these were all very hot days. This meant that electricity demand for air conditioning and refrigeration was very high. 

On February 8, Adelaide recorded its highest February maximum temperature since 2014. On February 10, western Sydney recorded its highest ever February maximum, and then broke this record the very next day. Brisbane posted its highest ever February maximum on February 13.

Read the thoughts of the Honorary Associate Professor, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy at the Australian National University,  Hugh Saddler, on The Conversation -  “Australia’s electricity market is not agile and innovative enough to keep up.”