The massive coal-fired plant that is scheduled to close in 18 months provided as much as 30 per cent of the electricity used in NSW over the past three days – as demand spiked amid high temperatures – underscoring its key role as its owner, Origin Energy, negotiates with the state government about keeping it open.

Even in the midst of the demand spikes, which brought on other generators as prices for electricity soared, the Eraring power station was still supplying 16.5 per cent of the state’s power, according to analysis published by Global-Roam.