The volatility of the NEM was showcased again on Monday as South Australia experienced two major price spikes in the space of an hour. Using NEM-Watch’s play back feature (screenshot below) we were able to relive when the two price spikes hit. At 2:35pm the South Australian dispatch price hit $2384.08 and then fell before spiking again at 3:10pm at $2410.23.
A screenshot from NEM-Watch at 3:10pm on Monday the 14th of December 2015.
Dan is a Market Analyst, who joined Global-Roam in June 2013.
He departed (and returned) for a couple of brief stints overseas, before rejoining the team permanently in late 2019. Alongside his work at Global-Roam, he has undertaken short-term contract roles as an analyst and researcher in various areas of the energy sector. Dan graduated from the Master of Sustainable Energy program at the University of Queensland in 2024.
Back at work this week and (with curiosity getting the better of me) I have another look at what happened last Thursday and Friday in the South Australian and Victorian regions of the NEM.
Extremely hot weather in NSW and the NEM’s underappreciated “rail gauge mismatch” contributed to a sharp multi-state price spike during the afternoon peak
Demand spiked, Angaston (diesel) dropped 37 MW, and Ladbroke (gas, price setter) was constrained down due to network limitations. Wind dropped 5 MW the first event and 18 MW the second time. Small changes compared to diesel and demand.
A screenshot from NEM-Watch at 3:10pm on Monday the 14th of December 2015.
What caused the spike in price? Was it a fall in wind production?
Demand spiked, Angaston (diesel) dropped 37 MW, and Ladbroke (gas, price setter) was constrained down due to network limitations. Wind dropped 5 MW the first event and 18 MW the second time. Small changes compared to diesel and demand.