Blackouts dodged as regulator demands answers from power companies | micksfoley
Blackout warnings issued on Tuesday night across the east coast electricity grid did not end up happening because the energy market operator forced power generation companies to fire up units that had been taken offline.their role in the current crisisPower companies have been called in for an emergency meeting with the energy market regulator for answers on why so much electricity capacity is sitting idle.
“Despite electricity shortfalls forecast in Queensland and NSW last night, AEMO successfully directed generators, which hadn’t bid into the market, to be available,” the market operator said in a statement on Tuesday night. “As such, there was sufficient electricity supplied to meet consumer demand.”
There is no law stopping power companies from withdrawing their electricity generation from the market, and in the past two days, they have reduced the volume available by 2 gigawatts in Victoria, 3 gigawatts in NSW and 1.5 gigawatts in Queensland. Energy experts have accused electricity providers of “unconscionable conduct” for withdrawing their power.
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