Some key events in the NEM that carried long-term implications
In order to help us (internally) map out all the different threads to explore in terms of what happened on Friday 31st January 2020 on a remarkable day in the NEM, I’ve identified a few of the key threads here over the weekend. More articles to follow as time permits….
Today (Fri 31 January 2020) saw NEM-wide demand reach levels never seen before (excepting 29th January 2009). This was just the start of the white knuckle ride.
Published at 12:02, this is a view looking forward to the expected (very high) peak in electricity demand across the NEM this evening.
A first (and perhaps only – as this took longer than initially planned) walk through some of the interesting points of what happened yesterday (Sat 16th Nov 2019) when South Australia islanded from the rest of the NEM with the trip of the Heywood interconnector.
Last week’s notable under-frequency load shedding in Great Britain following what appears to be the loss of two generation units in quick succession prompts me to publish some of the analysis of aggregate levels of inertia supplied by synchronous generators in South Australia as part of the Generator Report Card.
Coincidentally this week it seems to me that we’re facing storm warnings on two different fronts – one literal (and much easier to prepare for), whilst the other one is metaphorical and operates at several different levels (and is much, much more difficult to manage).
Two quick notes about what happened in Victoria on Friday 25th January 2019 following conversations with a number of people.
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 and Victorian regions of the NEM.
A first look at some of the action seen in the southern parts of the NEM on Thursday 24th January 2019 as a result of the latest crazy heatwave that has afflicted central Australia – particularly affecting electricity supply and demand in South Australia and Victoria
A short post, prior to further analysis next week, to notify readers that Reserve Trader has been dispatched today.
The multi-region islanding event on Saturday 25th August was a very rare event – perhaps the only one’s that occurred in the history of the NEM. It has generated plenty of questions – and driven our analysis further. We share some more observations here, and keenly await the draft AEMO report.
Following on from Saturday’s islanding event, we use our current interest in AEMO’s 4-second SCADA data to prove a little more…
Both the QNI and the Heywood interconnectors tripped around the same time on Saturday 25th August 2018 (not apparent at this time which one was first, and why), leading to both QLD and SA regions being separately islanded from the rest of the mainland NEM. This also contributed to over 1,000MW of load shedding in NSW and VIC, and presumably some frequency excursions in QLD and SA.
A quick look back at the AEMC’s Final Determination on Five Minute Settlement.
An explanation of how the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) contributed to the wind drought we observed recently on WattClarity.
A brief look, in the time available today, at a truly remarkable low point in aggregate wind farm output across the NEM through June 2017
A belated link to the Finkel Review.
A listing of key reports and analysis into the SA blackout of 28th September 2016.
The South Australian Blackout of 28th September 2016 is not as simple as it looks.
Wind speeds up during the blackout of September 28th in South Australia