1.3 million homes could face blackouts this summer

According to a new report from the Australian Energy Market Operator, the 2019 Electricity Statement of Opportunities report, 1.3 million Victorian homes could be affected by blackouts this summer.

The report specifically highlights a need to hasten repairs to a unit of AGL's Loy Yang A coal-fired power plant in the Latrobe Valley and one at Origin Energy's Mortlake gas-fired plant.

Detailed in the report, if these two repairs are not made until late December, they "pose a significant risk of insufficient supply".

Even so, the report details that "if both power station outages were extended over the summer, and if no additional supply was secured, involuntary load shedding may be experienced in Victoria during extreme weather events, potentially over multiple events, equivalent to between 260,000 and 1.3 million households being without power for four hours," it said.

As coal-fired power stations age, they become increasingly unreliable and a small issue can take months to fix.

Are you worried about older Australians losing power in 50'C heat?

7 comments

This is a very sad situation and yes, I do have fears for elderly people who have health problems. Hopefully it will not come to this.

Yes, a very sad situation, however Victoria led the way for privatisation, as well as shut down the Hazelwood power station in a hurry, and the people there did not protest.

China has around 1,000 coal-fired power stations, and are building another 130 as we speak! Our politicians need to work for THIS country not the stupid UN (or other climate change crazies), and build new power stations (based on Coal, Gas and / or Uranium) immediately to replace the ageing coal power stations, and provide the cheapest and most reliable electricity in the world which this country can get and does deserve with our massive resources.

Hazelwood was not shut down in a hurry. I visited Hazelwood several years before its intended closure was announced. I was informed then that it had limited life expectancy and plans for its closure were already in place.

I heard that Hazelwood did not have to be shut down when it was, and it's life could have been extended - given that they had no alternative stable baseload power supply ready to take over. Yes, the morons did not plan it properly even though they knew the situation in advance. Somebody (or some teams) need to be fired!

It would be unfair to blame GDF-Suez for its decision to shut down Hazelwood. The facility was over 50 years old and would have been decommissioned a decade earlier if still owned by SECV. It is not the owner's responsibility to continue operations when it is not to its financial benefit. The Baillieu and Napthine governments knew this and chose not to act. By the time Andrews government was elected Hazelwood's fate was already sealed.

An increasing population consumes more power. It's just an excuse to try and introduce nuclear power.

actually domestic electricity consumption has been falling for the past decade.

https://www.aer.gov.au/wholesale-markets/wholesale-statistics/national-electricity-market-electricity-consumption

no, no,no renewab les is the answer...solar and wind will do the trick!

Yes, Drew, I am worried about people being unable to cool and heat their homes. Part of the problem is the cost of electricity and gas which drives up the price for the consumer, especially those on a fixed income. Whilst it's OK for people to waffle on about renewables, there has to be a baseload to fall back on for those still nights. Maybe batteries will be developed in the future for storage but until then we need a reliable source which coal and gas are at present providing. As for the costs, how much do we get charged for the R&D on wind and solar and the subsidies for those who have installed solar panels.

The Victorian government haven't done their residents any favours with what happened with the Hazelwood plant. They firstly sold it off to private investors and then tripled the cost of coal supplied making the venture uneconomical. Hazelbrook supplied 25% of Victoria's power and that government has done nothingto replace the lost power. We need to build new power stations to cover the gap between today and when renewables can stand alone. We read that China is closing coal fired power stations but are never told that they are also building new ones to replace those being decommissioned.

Just listened to the Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio, who was asked about the expected supply problems. Apparently the problems are not because of anything that the Victoran government has done, it's the suppliers, the antiquated equipment and the Federal government that should shoulder the blame. The moratorium on gas exploration doesn't affect anyone as Victoria has enough gas from offshore drilling to supply all of Victoria's needs although since most of it is exported there is not enough left to meet the state's needs. She wouldn't answer any questions in a direct manner but filled the airwaves with pollyspeak. Thankfully we don't live in Victoria but we have sympathy for those who do.

What else would you expect the Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, to say?

Vic. it is becoming a  horrible place 

It is run by Mr Magoo

I'm caught in the groove, and can't afford to move

I wonder, just what does one do.

Well Polly Esther I can't offer much

In the way of advice at this time

Your plight inasmuch, my heart it did touch

Maybe you should turn to crime. 

 

...I bet some wished they could change their vote now  ....Victoria sounds like a basket case

 

more likely than not last year's Andrews government landslide win would be even bigger if a vote was held today. Clearly there are different ideas on what constitutes a "basket case".

I would like to see Government retain or buy-back as the case may be all ownership of river based power generation. Water is our resource, its use varies and it requires careful owner management. It can also be our massive battery hopefully used only for peak need (and peak return.)

The sun and the wind and if we like coal and atomic energy provide ample opportunity for private enterprise and competition. As far as batteries go there is no way we can sort ownership where required and provide sufficient downstream reservoirs and pumping facilities to assure full replacement of coal as battery stand-ins in the short term. Cleanest possible coal based power will therefor need to remain a priority for a time to come.  

I got an email from Origin/Electric to say I owed them $56.70 and to please pay it or interest will be added. I immediately went through my bills and rang them back to say they were wrong as I paid $168.70 the week before. I was put on hold for a few minutes and the operator said 'Not to worry as it has been paid"?????? Just as well I was on the ball as I would have paid it. She said I could have direct debit but I said "No, I want paper bills" to be sent, so I can check up for myself.

I agree Hola 

It is wise to have paper bills, even if you have to pay for them.

 

 

lol - me too!  Must be an "age" thing!! Or a "smart" thing! haha 

I also avoid "Direct Debits" - it is a pain in the ass to try to get back money taken out "twice in error"  etc. ....... (happened to me ONCE with Foxtel)  - went back to "paper billing"!  

P.S.  Media states today ...it is a "beat up" - there will be NO blackouts this coming summer?  Hmmmm we will see .................   :-) 

 

'It is wise to have paper bills, even if you have to pay for them'.

WHY?

I am the complete opposite. For several years 95% of my bills are direct debit once they have sent the account by email where I can check it, download it and enter it on my computer calendar. Some places offer a slight discount for non-paper bills and direct debit etc-- it all mounts up.

I have never paid a bill twice or had problems paying online and must have saved a truck load of paper 

'P.S.  Media states today ...it is a "beat up" - there will be NO blackouts this coming summer?  Hmmmm we will see' .

They are only saying that to stop the public panicking-- which will happen as time draws near. How many 'oldies' will perish in our heat because of stupid politicians?

 

We've had 3 energy blackouts in the past 2 months lasting between 12 and 18 hours ... 2 of them were planned.

I noticed my neighbour had solar panels put on their roof, so I went there to get a cuppa

... you will not believe it, they were using a thermos like me.

Yes, they were producing power which was getting sold to their energy supplier for about quarter of the cost they had to pay to buy the power back and in a black out could not use it.

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