Both units trip at Callide C on Wednesday 13th January 2021
A pretty rare event in the NEM, when two units trip simultaneously … so a short article on WattClarity as a result.
Articles by Paul McArdle
One of three founders of Global-Roam back in 2000, Paul has been CEO of the company since that time.
As an author on WattClarity, Paul's focus has been to help make the electricity market more understandable.
Cranking the handle, to produce the Generator Statistical Digest 2020
In the same week that the Energy Security Board publishes it’s ‘The Health of the NEM’ reports, looking from a top-down systems perspective, we crank the handle to produce the ‘Generator Statistical Digest 2020’ as a bottom-up 10-year review of the performance of all Scheduled, Semi-Scheduled and some Non-Scheduled generators and scheduled loads across the NEM that operated through some part of 2020.
Status update, on availability of the 48x remaining coal units across Q1 2021
Using an in-development (but soon to be released) widget in ez2view we take a look at forecast availability for coal units in NSW, VIC and QLD for the critical, and normally volatile, Q1 period 2021.
Bottom falls out of electricity demand in VIC on Christmas Day 2020
Short note about what might be a new record low point for electricity demand in Victoria on Christmas Day 2020.
Temperature Alert!
As we wind down for Christmas, recapping some developments (in Nov and Dec 2020) about high temperature limitations on generation technology across the NEM.
How aggregate production from Wind and Large Solar in NSW dropped last week – one factor contributing to price spikes and Reserve Trader
An unfortunately timed significant slump in output across all Wind and Large Solar plant in NSW was another of the factors contributing to the price volatility seen in NSW last week.
What’s up with the fleet of 16 x coal-fired units in NSW?
Following a week where several days saw price volatility in NSW (with this being so extreme that Reserve Trader was triggered on Thursday 17th December) we’ve taken a look at the comparative performance of coal units across the NEM (and particularly in NSW) compared to prior years.
Liddell unit 3 out till perhaps March 2021 after transformer incident (serious injury to one person)
The publication by AGL Energy of the short note about the transformer incident (and injured worker) at Liddell unit 3 yesterday prompted me to have a quick look, following on from the volatility this week.
Price volatility (third day in a row) … and Reserve Trader dispatched in NSW
Third day in a row we see volatility in NSW (and QLD) … and this afternoon AEMO contracts, and then dispatches, Reserve Trader in NSW
More price volatility in (QLD and) NSW on Wednesday 16th December 2020
Second day in a row the price spikes in the NSW region … higher and longer than yesterday. Low aggregate production from Wind and Large Solar across NSW today was clearly one other factor that contributed.
Short price spike in NSW on Tuesday 15th December 2020
A quick look at a spike in NSW price this afternoon above $3,000/MWh due to a number of different factors … including a trip of unit 3 at Eraring coal-fired power station.
Making demand response work with negative prices
A recent development over in the WEM (paying energy users to consume, when there’s too much solar and wind) highlights the lack of foresight in the NEM … where we’ve implemented a significant reform (yet to start) that will do nothing to address negative prices.
Surprise LOR2 (Low Reserve Condition) forecast for QLD next Monday afternoon, 30th November 2020
Prompted by an SMS alert this evening, we take a look at the tight supply/demand balance currently forecast for the QLD region on Monday afternoon next week (30th Nov 2020).
More pain ahead for non-synchronous units … a bigger ‘rhombus of regret’ in western NSW & VIC
From tomorrow (Fri 20th Nov) market participants in south-western NSW and north-western VIC will need to grapple with yet another transmission constraint seeking to ‘constraint down’ their output when it’s sunny and/or windy. This one is named ‘N^^N_NIL_3’.
AEMC publishes draft rule change for Semi-Scheduled generators
Today (Thu 19th Nov 2020) the AEMC published a draft ruling following the AER request for a rule change relating to Semi-Scheduled generators … which itself followed from two COAG Energy Council requests to them
An evolving perspective – forecast impacts of the South Australia short, sharp ‘Circuit Breaker’ COVID response
Some brief notes about the impact that South Australia’s ‘Stay at Home’ order might have on demand in the region.
Price spikes in QLD region third day in a row (Tue 17th Nov 2020)
Third day in a row, and at exactly the same time as yesterday (Mon 17th Nov) the dispatch price in QLD spiked through the roof. Here’s a quick first look…
Early blast of summer drives NSW and QLD prices through the roof
It’s not officially summer, yet – but it sure seems like it is across QLD and NSW. High temperatures drive some prices spiking up to the Market Price Cap in both ENERGY and some FCAS commodities as well…
Case Study Part 5 – Why did those constraint bind – in QLD on Tuesday 13th October 2020?
In part 5 of this expanding Case Study of the unexpected price spike on Tuesday 13th Oct, linked to a large & sudden drop in output across 10 solar farms, we take a detailed look at the constraint set ‘Q-BCNE_821’ invoked to deal with the transmission outage between H11 Nebo (in ‘North’ zone) and H10 Bouldercombe (in ‘Central-West’ zone)
Low point for demand in Victoria drops still lower on Sunday 1st November 2020
The prior record for ‘minimum demand’ in Victoria seems to have only lasted 8 short weeks, with the level nudged still lower on a sunny Sunday 1st November 2020 (coincident with a bit more freedom for Victorians after lockdown).