NEM demand tragic and occasional WattClarity guest author Allan O'Neil drills into an apparent discrepancy in AEMO's demand calculations following the 1 July 2026 transition of the Basslink interconnector from MNSP market participant to Regulated status.
A first look at yesterday's major frequency event (and demand gyration in NSW) using 'next day public' data to look at Dispatch Error
In the final part of this series, David Scott asks whether MPFR and FPP-Reg-FCAS Recovery have delivered on their goals, then uses the data to explore how AEMO might procure Regulation FCAS more dynamically and tune AGC to make better use of it.
In part three of this series, David Scott examines the first year of FPP-Reg-FCAS Recovery settlements, revealing which technologies paid and which were paid, and showing how semi-scheduled wind and solar farms, scheduled generators and batteries have each responded to the new incentives.
In part two of this series, David Scott dives into AEMO's 4-second FPP data to show how dispatch errors are classified as good or bad, how Regulation FCAS usage is measured, and how these calculations translate into FPP payments and Reg-FCAS Recovery charges.
In the first of this four-part series, David Scott explains how loosening frequency control in the NEM led to Mandatory Primary Frequency Response in 2020, and how that problem resurfaced as a settlements issue behind 2025's Frequency Performance Payments and Regulation FCAS reforms.
Following a growing number of articles on WattClarity about “VRE under-performance dragging frequency down”, guest author Allan O'Neil takes a look at how the one sided nature of the SDC plays a role - and suggests a possible action that would help.
Top 10 units with deviations in support of, and in opposition to, the frequency need around the trip of Callide C units 3 and 4.
In this article we inspect power deviations from dispatched units that would have contributed to the frequency rise, and the deviations that would have contributed to the correction.
Back in July 2025 we saw the AEMO had released this ‘Technical Review of the NEM Frequency Control Landscape’ … but are only noting this here now.
How common is it that mainland frequency deviates outside the NOFB (normal operating frequency band)?
It appears it was unit availability used to set the target for dispatch that went awry, rather than unit output.
Worth noting, as I've just become aware, that submissions close tomorrow on AEMO's consultation on Primary Frequency Response (PFR) Test Guidelines for Semi-Scheduled Plant
Categories with a longer bar left of zero are losing more of their spot energy market revenue to regulation and PFR costs.
An initial review of payment and cost outcomes of the first 44 days of financial operation of the FPP arrangements.
System frequency shows improved resilience to sudden coal generation events since 2020.
Yesterday (Sunday 8th June 2025) saw the commencement of the new Frequency Performance Payments (a.k.a. FPP) method.
We've facilitated a number of articles on WattClarity relating to the looming FPP changes (now 10 weeks away). Here's two images I've drawn up to (hopefully) illustrate my understanding of what these changes represent.
We thank the Clean Energy Council for the opportunity to share insights into revenue trends, cost trends, and analysis of upcoming changes for units operating in the NEM.
In his first article, Jack Fox reports some initial observations from a review of the Non Financial Operations (NFO) data that's been published since Dec 2024.