Southern scorchers threaten records, blackouts
Heatwave conditions across Victoria and South Australia will put significant strain on the electricity network.
Heatwave conditions across Victoria and South Australia are set to put significant strain on the electricity network over the coming days, with consumers being urged to keep their energy use to a minimum during peak periods to alleviate the risk of blackouts.
Power generators were called on by the Australian Energy Market Operator yesterday to ensure additional supply was available in both states if required, while the South Australian government said its back-up diesel generators were on standby.
MORE: Power supplies hit by heatwave
Following a maximum of 42C yesterday, Adelaide is forecast to reach 45C today and the Bureau of Meteorology said the city’s record temperature of 46.1C — recorded in 1939 — was under threat.
Melbourne is forecast to peak at 36C today before rising to 43C tomorrow.
AEMO chief executive Audrey Zibelman said electricity supply would be “tight” in the most challenging conditions this summer.
She would not guarantee the reliability of the system but said such conditions had been planned for. Reserves of 700 megawatts-plus are in place.
Ms Zibelman said she wanted consumers to be “comfortable”, but encouraged them to limit their energy use wherever possible.
“We really ask people to be conscious about not running dishwashers and washing machines, and even cycling off their pool pumps if they can, anything they can do to not use energy that they don’t really need to use during the peak time of 4pm to 7pm,” she said.
“Even with airconditioners, we want people to be cool and comfortable but also to recognise that you don’t have to freeze yourself in your home.”
The wholesale price of electricity is forecast to skyrocket to $14,500MW/h in both states when demand peaks in the early evening after people return from work and seek the refuge of their airconditioners.
The ability of Victoria and SA to meet demand has been compromised by the closure of coal-fired power stations — Northern in Port Augusta and Hazelwood in the Latrobe Valley — which has resulted in the loss of more than 2100MW from the system, increasing the reliance on renewables.
SA Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said it would be AEMO’s decision as to whether the state’s diesel generators — procured by the former Weatherill government — would be used for the first time.
Total fire bans are in place across large parts of both states.