Hazelwood closure: what it means for electricity prices and blackouts

Victoria’s Hazelwood power station will be shut down this week after nearly 50 years of supplying electricity.

Hazelwood’s closure does not mean
 imminent blackouts for Victoria.

The imminent closure has led to concerns about blackouts, raised most recently by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, and rising electricity prices.

So what does the evidence suggest?

Last week The Age reported that Victoria is facing “72 days of possible power supply shortfalls over the next two years”. While that sounds bad, it does not mean the state is facing imminent blackouts.

This was based on a report from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), which is in charge of making sure that Australia’s energy markets work.

Read the piece on The Conversation by a researcher at the Australian German Climate and Energy College from the University of Melbourne,  Dylan McConnell - “Hazelwood closure: what it means for electricity prices and blackouts.”