Outage at Vales Point unit 5 extended – return to service now not expected until 15th December 2025
Subsequent to earlier article about VP5, the expected duration of the outage pushed out by more than a month.
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.
AEMO notes ‘New Victorian system normal constraint to manage contingency size on north-west Victoria’
The AEMO notifies that the new 'V_NWVIC_GFT1_750' constraint equation will first be invoked from 10L00 on Tuesday 9th September 2025.
Vales Point unit 5 (partly unplanned) outage – return to service currently expected 9th November 2025
On Tuesday 26th August 2025 the VP5 unit came offline, with rebid reasons suggesting that ‘turbine vibrations’ were a factor. We take a look ~10 days later.
AEMC releases July 2024 working paper ‘Addressing the risk of algorithmic collusion’
Today we were alerted that the AEMC had belatedly published this 15-page Staff Working Paper titled ‘Addressing the risk of algorithmic collusion’.
AEMO initiates new operational requirements in SA (1 synchronous unit, in certain circumstances) and NSW (system strength)
Worth a short note today (Wednesday 3rd September 2025) to record AEMO’s Market Notice 128912 published at 16:10
(Two not one!) more media article (and 5, not 4, analysts) questioning Eraring’s mooted closure in 2027 … and same for other coal units
It was no surprise at all to open the AFR and see 4 different analysts quoted in voicing their concerns about the unrealistic notion that Eraring can close in 2027 ... or perhaps even...
Yes, Tamar Valley CCGT did switch off last week (on Wednesday 27th August 2025)
Looking back to Wednesday 27th August 2025, when Tamar Valley CCGT switched off.
Looking more at (commissioning) operations at Waratah BESS through August 2025
In this article we take a look at operations of Waratah BESS through August 2025 - including some large Dispatch Errors on several days: (a) including Fri 29th Aug 2025, and how WTAH1 apparently...
More about that decay of mainland frequency at lunchtime on Friday 29th August 2025 (i.e. Part 2)
Taking a second look at the midday decay of mainland frequency on Friday 29th August 2025.
Mainland frequency drop with Loy Yang A1 trip on Saturday evening 30th August 2025
On Saturday evening 30th August 2025 there was a trip (and then subsequent recovery) of the Loy Yang A1 unit - we take a look at frequency change.
Queensland’s minimum ‘Market Demand’ point drops lower still, on Sunday 31st August 2025
Worth a quick note with a NEMwatch snapshot at 10:35 (NEM time) on Sunday 31st August 2025 to mark the ‘lowest ever*’ point for ‘Market Demand’ nudging lower still in the Queensland region.
Unplanned outage on Yallourn Unit 2 extended another ~month (with new RTS expectation 22nd October 2025)
As a further update on outage expectation for the damaged YWPS2 (which tripped with 'LP turbine issue' on Tue 26th August) the latest return to service expectation is now not until 22nd October 2025.
Decay of mainland frequency at lunchtime on Friday 29th August 2025
As another case of frequency disruption on the mainland grid, we spotted this trend occurring just before midday on Friday 29th August 2025.
Unplanned outage on Yallourn Unit 2 pushed out ~2 weeks (with new RTS Thursday 25th September 2025)
An updated look (as at 14:10 on Thu 28th Aug 2025) of expected return to service for YWPS2
Peeling the onion a little more – Solar Farm performance on Tuesday 19th August 2025, with the frequency spike to 50.2Hz
As the 5th article in an evolving series that progressively explores the (apparent self-forecasting glitch and) frequency spike on Tuesday 19th August 2025, we take an early look at Solar Farm performance.
Prices spiking again in South Australia (for Lower 1 second FCAS) on Wednesday 27th August 2025
A very short article with a snapshot from ez2view at the 11:15 dispatch interval – highlighting that Lower 1-second FCAS prices in the South Australian region are spiking (yet again!).
Notable forced outage at Yallourn Unit 2 … due to ‘LP turbine issue’
A first article about an unplanned (and potentially significant) outage at Yallourn unit 2 that began on Tuesday 26th August 2025 due to 'LP turbine issues'.
Several coal units offline (on Wednesday 27th August 2025) with unplanned outages
A short note with a snapshot of the ‘Generator Outages’ widget in ez2view (at 08:30 on Wed 27th Aug 2025) to highlight some coal units offline.
Following the 2025 ESOO, MT PASA shows forecast Low Reserve Conditions in the South Australian region (Dec 2026 to March 2027)
Following from the release of the 2025 ESOO last Thursday, the subsequent weekly MT PASA run warns of *forecast* LRC (and unserved energy) in South Australia.
The current burst of production at Tamar Valley CCGT coming to an end, on Thu 28th August 2025?
An article in the Australian by Colin Packham prompts a look in AEMO data about expectations for when Tamar Valley CCGT might be switched off.