SA’s electricity supply should be able to handle heatwave, authorities say
In SA, we know to stock up on batteries for heatwaves – because history’s shown the power is likely to go out. So as airconditioners suck up electricity, how are we looking?
SA News
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Electricity supply will be pushed to the limit this week but new capacity and a last-minute fix of a Victorian coal plant have lifted prospects South Australians will be able to keep their airconditioners humming.
“At this stage, we can confirm there is adequate electricity supply reserves forecast to meet anticipated demand in SA,” a spokesman for the Australian Energy Market Operator said.
The operator uses a range of weather services to anticipate how much power is needed in the national electricity market and has a dedicated Bureau of Meteorology analyst assigned to its control room through summer.
The operator has been lining up reserve generation in Victoria, which is integrally linked to the SA grid.
AGL executive general manager group operations Doug Jackson said the Loy Yang A plant in Victoria’s La Trobe Valley, which broke down in May, was finally fixed.
“Our teams are working on some final minor mechanical work which will be completed Wednesday with the unit planned to commence generation on Thursday then progressively ramp up in load,” he said.
“We will continue to work closely with the Australian Energy Market Operator during the ramping up process to achieve full load from the unit.”
Since buying Loy Yang in 2012, AGL has spent more than $900 million on the plant, which is four times the size of the demolished Northern Power Station at Port Augusta.
However, part of another Victorian plant — Origin’s gas-fired Mortlake power station, which broke down in July — remains under repair with a target of the end of this month for its return.
SA Power Networks said it was keeping a close watch on conditions.
“As usual, we will be monitoring weather conditions and their impact on the network including Friday’s heightened bushfire risk,” SAPN spokesman Paul Roberts said.
“We have cancelled most planned work this week that involves outages.
“Some may go ahead where work can be completed early and local conditions allow.”
Last month, SAPN cut power to Port Lincoln because of fire risks — ahead of three distribution lines being knocked down, each of which could have sparked a blaze.
The Edithburgh blaze, which destroyed 11 homes, was started by an electrical fault.
There has been significant new power supply in SA, a State Government spokesman said.
“The State Government, industry and market regulators continue doing everything possible to ensure SA has sufficient electricity supply throughout summer,” the spokesman said.
AGL’s $295 million gas-fired Barker Inlet Power Station began operating last month and has extended generation at Torrens Island Power Station A beyond the planned closure date for the first of four units being phased out.
Two huge solar farms — at Tailem Bend and Bungala, near Port Augusta — have been added to the grid in the past 18 months.
About 19,000 homes in SA have added rooftop solar this year, taking capacity to more than 10 per cent of the state’s total and changing the demand peak to about 7:30pm instead of midday.
This peak is progressively being reduced through home battery take-up.
A new 30MW gas-fired turbine at the Hallet Power Station is due to be in service soon.
Meanwhile in NSW, the Gospers Mountain fire was burning in the vicinity of the coal-fired Mount Piper Power Station, which supplies about 10 per cent of NSW’s power.
An EnergyAustralia spokesperson said safety was the highest priority and the situation was being closely monitored.
“Mt Piper power station continues to operate with only essential personnel,” he said.