‘Dunkelflaute’ Down Under
Yesterday evening (Tue 9th June 2020) saw an example of ‘dunkelflaute’ across the NEM. It's a phenomenon we will see increasingly as the transition progresses, so it's something...
high prices
A further look at Thursday Jan 30th
Guest author, Allan O'Neil does a masterful job with limited time in reviewing some of the goings-on in the NEM (particularly VIC and SA) on Thursday 30th January...
Thursday 30th January 2020 sees demand reach 34,257MW and LOR2 notice issued for both VIC and SA
A brief overview of a stressful afternoon/evening in the NEM, where a confluence of events (heatwave-driven high demand, low wind, coal unit trip, etc...) drive LOR2 low reserve...
Not-So-Quick review of price spike in South Australian region yesterday (Thu 19th Dec) evening
Took 2-3 times longer than planned (as there were a few different interesting observations that came out) but here is our initial - and perhaps only! - review...
Looking backwards over the past 2 weeks in the NEM
Back at work this week and (with curiosity getting the better of me) I have another look at what happened last Thursday and Friday in the South Australian...
NEM Scheduled Demand tops 33,000MW and prices spike in the south on Tuesday 22nd January
Some snapshots from NEMwatch recording a day where NEM-wide demand breached 33,000MW and prices spiked above $1000/MWh in VIC and SA
First scorching summer day for the year and the sky rocketing price of electricity.
The first day of scorching summer temperatures for the year has been matched with elevated electricity prices in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia for most of...
NEM spot prices remained stubbornly high in 2018 – what were the drivers?
The surge in NEM spot prices since 2015, and related impacts on contract and retail prices, have been extensively discussed and analysed in many forums, from ACCC inquiries...
High SA Prices on Monday 9 July–Business as Usual?
One of our guest authors, Allan O'Neil, takes a closer look at what happened in the South Australian region of the NEM on Monday 9th July 2018
Reviewing the pattern of spot prices for Q2 2018 suggests that we’re far from out of the woods, yet
Returning to the theme of analysis of Q2 prices (completed in 2017 and 2016 due to Q2 historically being an uneventful period) we see that prices have backed...
Recapping a shaky week for the supply-demand balance in the NSW region last week (Mon 4th June to Fri 8th June 2018)
The start of some analysis that helps to identify the variety of factors that combined to give a shaky balance between supply and demand in NSW last week.
Victorian demand rises above 9,000MW – which (in combination with other factors) leads to a volatile day in the southern regions
On a day when high temperatures drove demand in Victoria above 9,000MW (and NEM-wide demand above 30,000MW) we saw some price volatility - with prices in VIC and...
Sunday 28th January sees Victorian electricity demand (Scheduled, and Operational) above 9,000MW
Yesterday (Sunday 28th January) saw electricity demand (both Scheduled and Operational) above 9,000MW in the heat. Others have noted this was the highest-ever non-working day demand in Victoria,...
It’s very misleading to claim “Since the introduction of the National Electricity Market in 1996 the wholesale price of energy has risen dramatically”
The wholesale cost of electricity has risen (too fast, too high) in recent years. However let's not let ourselves be conned into believing that this has arisen, now,...
August Update: Regulatory Responses to Pricing Concern
Some thoughts from guest author, Connor James, about "what's next" in response to energy user concerns about high and escalating prices.
ACCC chief, Rod Sims, includes 6 factors driving retail electricity prices higher
A timely reminder from Rod Sims (at the ACCC) this week that there are a number of factors driving electricity price higher - not just a single "smoking...
Here’s three big reasons why spot prices in Queensland are higher than they used to be
A quick outline of what have been (in my view) the three key reasons why wholesale electricity prices in Queensland have risen, compared to 5 years ago.
If spot price outcomes through Q2 2016 were “truly remarkable” then price outcomes for Q2 2017 were off the chart
A year on from my review of "remarkable" prices seen in Q2 2016, I return to the same analysis and update for Q2 2017. Outcomes are even more...
Another industrial energy user enters Liquidation (in South Australia this time)
Coming back from a week out of the office, I was disconcerted to see that yet another industrial energy user has closed its doors.
On batteries, and “fixing South Australia’s problems”
Some quick thoughts about Tesla's promise to "fix South Australia's power woes". Which specific problem is Tesla promising to fix?