Fast Frequency Response (FFR)


Very fast FCAS markets continue to grow

Six observations from a chart summarising how capacity, availability and volumes enabled have changed over the early phase of the very fast FCAs markets, since commencement on October 9, 2023.



Very Fast Raise and Lower FCAS markets to start on 9 October 2023

Very Fast FCAS, because it operates at a faster timescale, can arrest the rise or fall in frequency more rapidly than the current fast service and therefore provides an avenue to mitigate the costs of needing to procure increasing levels of the existing fast service. The markets (raise and lower) are going live on 9 October 2023.






FCAS goes from fast to very fast

Just under 3 weeks ago (on 22nd April 2021) the AEMC published a draft determination that would establish ‘Fast Frequency Response’ as an additional (i.e. 9th and 10th) FCAS service in the NEM. We take a brief look.



Fast Frequency Service – Treating the symptom not the cause?

The National Electricity Market (NEM) is designed to operate at 50 Hz. Frequency deviation occurs when generation and load are mismatched. It is important in a lightly meshed and long network such as the NEM to maintain tight frequency control and that frequency response is available throughout the network.