Initial energy storage involved in issues

With the benefit of the next-day data it is apparent that initial energy storage data was involved in the SCADA issues of March 23.

An early prototype (under-development) that estimates energy storage levels for BESS units captured additional missing data from the NSW batteries.

The data suggests there were indeed gremlins at work!

This brief article presents a sample screenshot of what is uncovered.

Sample screenshot of initial storage level estimates and actuals on March 23, 2026. As at the 24th March. NSW batteries.

We briefly note the following observations:

• Yellow, hand-drawn, highlights identify missing actuals for initial energy storage level (and the odd sharp change in value, too).
  • It seems all units on the page experienced some form of interruption, at varying times, in storage level signals getting to AEMO and into the MMS.
• The interruption of data for Broken Hill battery (BHB1) coincided with the unit charging to ‘full’.
• Some units(CAPBES1 and WTAHB1) saw the storage level actual readings drop sharply to zero.
  • More on Waratah BESS in What’s up with Waratah BESS … again?!.
  • For CAPBES1, the drop to 0 MWh seems clearly wrong given the estimates remain near 100 MWh and end up aligning nicely to actuals when they resumed in the afternoon.
• Were the readings at the new Quorn Park Hybrid’s BESS real?

WattClarity’s collation of articles about the market suspension and related observations can be found at this page, under operational glitches.