New questions over SA’s power mix after AEMO interventions
Gas-fired backup generators had to kick in the keep the lights on in SA more than 100 times in the six months to December, it’s been revealed, raising new questions over the state’s energy mix.
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South Australian wholesale power generators are being ordered almost daily to provide back-up generation to help keep the lights on, new figures show.
Data provided to the Senate shows Commonwealth watchdog AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator) intervened in the SA energy market 122 times between July 5 and December 26 last year.
SA Senator Rex Patrick said the data raised questions about the capability of the energy mix in the SA – a sentiment shared by the State Government.
“In almost all cases, AEMO has directed gas-fired power stations to output additional power, which indicates that renewable sources are not meeting delivery requirements,” Senator Patrick, pictured, said.
“I am a big proponent of renewable energy, but the system has to be engineered correctly.”
Senator Patrick said every time a generator was directed to stabilise the system, the cost was met by AEMO.
“(It) then charges the cost back to the retailers, who no doubt pass the charge on to mums and dads and business,” he said.
SA Energy and Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the interventions were “the legacy of the unstable, unreliable and expensive electricity network the former state Labor government created”.
“The best solution to these problems is the planned interconnector between SA and NSW,” he said.
“The SA/NSW interconnector will reduce the need for interventions by AEMO, reduce the likelihood of blackouts and reduce the price of electricity for South Australian households by $66 a year.”
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Last month, The Advertiser revealed electricity consumers would be charged a combined $93 million to cover the cost of stabilising SA’s power system while it was cut off from the national grid in February.
Figures published by AEMO revealed the scale of extra charges, which included the price of forcing gas-fired stations to come on and balance out unreliable wind supplies.
SA’s power system was unexpectedly cut off from Victoria and left to fend for itself on January 31. The interconnector failure was blamed on transmission towers being knocked over in Victoria during a storm.
Despite warnings of blackouts in SA and Victoria, our state survived without interruption amid mild weather.
Frequency control is needed to keep the power grid at 50Hz. A significant variation from that can lead to catastrophic collapses, as was observed in September 2016.