Loy Yang A1 back online, Thursday evening 12th June 2025
The volatility of Thursday evening 12th June 2025 had ended by that time (though not by much), but it’s worth noting that the Loy Yang A1 unit commenced its return to service journey last...
Articles by 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.
NEM-wide IRPM drops to 10.34% on Thursday evening 12th June 2025
Another quick article about the low IRPM (instantaneous reserve plant margin) on Thursday 12th June 2025.
Low wind yield drops lower, on Thursday evening 12th June 2025
One other snippet of information to share this evening (Thursday 12th June 2025) is about the low NEM-wide wind harvest... lower than earlier forecasts.
A short-lived return to service for Yallourn unit 4
Worth a short note on Thursday 12th June 2025 to highlight the short-lived return to service at YWPS4:
Next blast of volatility–on Thursday evening 12th June 2025
Following yesterday evening's volatility, it's happening again on Thursday evening 12th June 2025.
An initial walk through bidding during the volatility on Wednesday 11th June 2025
We take a first look at bidding across all units (aggregated up) for Wednesday 11th June 2025, with the volatile evening period of particular interest.
Brief summary of outcomes (Price, Demand and IRPM) for Wednesday evening 11th June 2025
We start with this colour-coded tabular record of a 4-hour period (16:00 to 20:00 NEM time on Wednesday 11th June 2025) as a reference point for further analysis of the evening volatility.
Prices up in every region, on Wednesday evening 11th June 2025
A very quick note for Wednesday 11th June 2025 with this snapshot from NEMwatch at 17:00 (NEM time) to record the start of some elevated prices.
AEMO notes increased forecast for Unserved Energy (USE) in QLD due to network outages scheduled between Tue 17th to Fri 20th June 2025
Yesterday (Tuesday 10th June 2025) at 14:21 the AEMO published MN127491 that noted 'The increase in USE in Queensland ... is primarily driven by network outages scheduled between 17 and 20 June 2025'.
Cold winter evening driving NEM-wide demand higher, such as on Tuesday 10th June 2025
A cold winter evening (Tuesday 10th June 2025) is driving electricity demand higher, as captured in this snapshot from NEMwatch at the 18:10 dispatch interval.
Unplanned outage at YWPS3 (tube leak) extended (due to air duct collapse)
Yallourn unit 3 came offline for a tube leak - but ABC reports (on Mon 9th June 2025) that 'an air duct in unit three collapsed during maintenance', so we take an initial look.
Release of Report into Broken Hill blackout in October 2024
On Thursday 5th June 2025, the NSW Government released its 158-page report into ‘The electricity outages affecting Far West NSW in October 2024’.
Forecast LORx conditions for QLD, NSW and VIC in the coming week
This article uses the ‘Forecast Convergence’ widget, snapshot from ez2view at 07:25 on Monday 9th June 2025 to sum up some changing forecasts for LOR1 and/or LOR2 in QLD, NSW and VIC in the...
The commencement of Frequency Performance Payments (FPP)
Yesterday (Sunday 8th June 2025) saw the commencement of the new Frequency Performance Payments (a.k.a. FPP) method.
Cumulative ‘worm line’ view of NEMwide wind production in 2025 Q2 (to Sunday 8th June 2025)
Winter 2025 has arrived, with a cold front driving high wind production - which prompts this initial look in wind production for 2025 Q2 to date.
Large Energy Users feeling the strain (such as at Tomago)
A short article tying together two independent events - both related to Energy Intensive Energy Users
Slides circulated, from the Nelson Review briefings during May 2025
Given the instructions were ‘Feel free to share it more widely with your colleagues and networks’, here's the slide deck from the Nelson Review presentations through May 2025.
A 495MW drop in ‘Market Demand’ in NSW on Thursday morning 5th June 2025
Another short article to note a 495MW drop in demand in NSW (measured in 'Market Demand') to the 10:10 dispatch interval on Thursday 5th June 2025.
A long-run trend of monthly average Contingency FCAS prices in NSW
Another short article with this trend from the ez2view ‘Trends Editor’ to summarise the overall trend of (monthly average) prices in the 8 x Contingency FCAS markets focused on the NSW region.
Across 188 Semi-Scheduled DUIDs – Dispatch Error at 16:15 on Monday 26th May 2025
This is my second article today relating to events on Monday 26th May 2025 - with this article looking at Dispatch Error for each of the 188 x Semi-Scheduled units to 16:15.