The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has today released its 2017/18 summer readiness report, which outlines all actions taken to best prepare the National Electricity Market to meet your energy consumer requirements.
Summer is the period of highest energy usage for all of us except our friends in Tasmania. It is also the period when this level of demand, high temperatures, and climatic events like bushfires and storms place the power system at highest stress and make it most prone to failure.
Following the closure of the 1600 megawatt (MW) capacity Hazelwood Power Station in Victoria in March 2017, AEMO assessed the short-term balance of supply and demand. In its Energy Supply Outlook report published mid-year, AEMO identified a heightened risk of consumer supply disruptions for the coming summer in Victoria and South Australia if no further steps were taken.
Seeing the potential challenges on the horizon, AEMO has worked tirelessly with industry and governments to do all that we can to secure your power when you need it most – to cool down on extremely hot days in summer!
We needed additional resources, and are pleased to report we believe we have achieved all that we can achieve for this summer. A number of action plans have been, and will continue to be implemented. To read the full report, please click here.
Although preparing the power system for the upcoming summer is an immediate priority, AEMO continues to focus on supporting the evolution of the power system as it transitions to a low emission future.
AEMO is working actively with Commonwealth and state governments and the energy industry, guided by the Finkel Review and now with the newly formed Energy Security Board, on a road map so changes can be made to the design and operations of the power system to resolve current operating challenges.
Affordable, reliable and secure energy for all Australians remains our clear goal objective.