Snowy gas power plants ordered off as crisis builds

Angela Macdonald-Smith and Hannah Wootton

Updated Jul 20, 2022 – 7.21pm, first published at 6.13pm

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The Australian Energy Market Operator has ordered two gas-fired power plants owned by Snowy Hydro in Victoria to shut down in a bid to keep the gas supply operating safely and securely at the correct pressure for customers.

The order, which lasts until October 1 and represents a further worsening of the energy crisis hitting the eastern states, came as Queensland’s three LNG exporters scrambled to meet a request from the AEMO on Wednesday to send more gas south to avoid shortages in power generation.

Angela Macdonald-Smith writes on the resources industry with a focus on energy, including gas, oil, electricity and renewables.

Hannah Wootton is a Rear Window columnist, based in Melbourne.