Queensland demand tops 8,300MW – but NEM-wide it fizzles

With this post being made as a cooling thunderstorm rolls through “thunderstorm alley” (a.k.a. the Brisbane Valley) we review today and see that the demand in Queensland reached 8,371MW (at 14:50) and yet the NEM-wide demand did not break even the very modest 25,000MW level at any time during the day.

As shown in this snapshot from NEM-Watch from 15:05 (when the QLD demand was 8,348MW and the spot price above $1,500/MWh), lacklustre demand in the south kept the NEM-wide demand in check:

2014-01-06-at-15-05-NEM-Watch

No joy (yet?!) for the bulls in our “peak demand forecaster competition” who’re on the upper end of forecasts for what the peak demand will be this summer.


PS – In the 65 minutes since that snapshot was taken, the Queensland demand has dropped about 400MW – which, we presume, is mostly a result of the cooling temperatures, though storm-related loss of supply in the Energex and Ergon distribution areas will also have contributed.


About the Author

Paul McArdle
Paul was one of the founders of Global-Roam in February 2000. He is currently the CEO of the company and the principal author of WattClarity. Writing for WattClarity has become a natural extension of his work in understanding the electricity market, enabling him to lead the team in developing better software for clients. Before co-founding the company, Paul worked as a Mechanical Engineer for the Queensland Electricity Commission in the early 1990s. He also gained international experience in Japan, the United States, Canada, the UK, and Argentina as part of his ES Cornwall Memorial Scholarship.

1 Comment on "Queensland demand tops 8,300MW – but NEM-wide it fizzles"

  1. Seem like old times with the Qld Government owned generators gaming the market!

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