Five Australian States Told To Brace For Blackouts From Tonight

Five states might not seem like many to my friends in the US however, in total we have six states and two territories and the states being told to brace for black outs - Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia account for significant majority of the overall population of the country.

For the firs time in history, the AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator) has utilised extreme powers to instruct energy providers to run, even at loss to ensure supply (of course with compensation.

So wat is the purported cause?

Load Shedding

According to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), which runs the National Electricity Market (NEM) on the east coast, load shedding is a way of keeping the system stable.

In truth, there are many ways the operator can keep the system stable, but load shedding is the most extreme tool at its disposal.

Electricity is like most other commodities in that it is about supply and demand, the latter of which is known as "load" in industry jargon.

But unlike just about any other good, supply of electricity has to match demand almost perfectly at all times. Margins of error are tiny.

Fears about blackouts due to a shortage of energy in Queensland did not eventuate last night but the Sunshine State is not the only one with warnings ahead.

Such rigour is required because power, while so essential, can also be dangerous to people and appliances.

Think of the electricity system as a generator at one end, a user at the other end, and a highwire in between.

The aim of the game is to keep the highwire perfectly stable by exactly matching the user's needs with the generator's output.

Too little supply and the wire will drop.

Too much power and the wire could overload.

Either way, the consequences of failure are serious.

They inevitably trigger safeguards at the generator that force it to switch off, or trip, to prevent even more drastic consequences such as an explosion, for example.

A grid such as the NEM, which services more than 10 million customers in the eastern states, is at a vastly bigger scale.

But the principles are the same.

Across the east coast, but but particularly in Queensland and NSW, a shortage of supply has run headlong into spike in demand as people increase their energy use during a cold snap.

The causes of the supply squeeze are many and various.

For starters, along the eastern seaboard a number of coal-fired power stations are offline.

These include generating units at AGL's Bayswater and Liddell coal plants in NSW and Loy Yang A asset in Victoria, along with the Queensland government's Callide C power plant.

On top of this Australia's largest coal-fired power plant, the 2,880-megawatt Eraring plants in NSW owned by Origin Energy, has been hit by a shortage of coal supply.

Some of these outages were expected — plants are periodically taken offline for maintenance — but others were not.

And when you tally up the capacity of the missing coal units it is a big chunk of the generation in the NEM that would normally be available.

Coal is still the mainstay of the east coast power system but its prices have been soaring. To add to the supply woes, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the consequent ructions to global energy markets has put a rocket under coal and gas prices.

For many of the generators operating in the east coast, which is one of the world's biggest exporters of both commodities, the turmoil has left them heavily exposed to soaring fuel prices.

A final straw is related to both of those factors and came to a head on Monday when AEMO issued its dire warning about the risks of blackouts.

Under the NEM's rules, price caps for generators can be imposed when costs in the wholesale power market breach maximum thresholds.

In what's believed to be a first, that threshold was breached on Monday in Queensland, and then New South Wales, where wholesale prices have been soaring in response to the supply crunch.

Perversely, however, the imposition of a price cap prompted a bunch of so-called peaking power providers such as fast-start gas and diesel-fired plants to pull back from the market over concerns the high cost of those fuels would lead them to run at a loss.

By pulling back from the market and risking blackouts, the generators helped trigger extraordinary powers that allow AEMO to instruct them to run but also provide for greater levels of compensation.

Link - ABC News

There are some aspects of this explanation that don't quite add up to me although admittedly my understanding of this topic is rudimentary at best.

Firstly, in Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW) a supply issue is identified as an issue. This doesn't quite compute with me being that we export a large amount of both coal and gas overseas. The shortage could be due to increased global demand leaving domestic supplies short but surely in what is being deemed as an "energy crisis" we could re-direct supplies to the domestic market.

Secondly, the $300 per megawatt price cap imposed by the AEMO has the energy companies claiming they will run at a loss and whilst that may very well be the case, one would assume the ever so heralded 'experts' and politicians could reach an agreement on an equilibrium/compensation scheme that doesn't put is in the realm of an energy crisis.

Thirdly and lastly (for now), the favourite excuse of contemporary politicians for their short comings in the war in Ukraine driving up fuel prices making it more expensive for Australian producers to export coal and gas and hence reduce profits affecting domestic supply. Again, surely the experts and elected politicians could foresee this and produce a solution before we reach the point we are deeming this an energy crisis.

With similar patterns in similar Western Democracies (such as the UK and US) all claiming the war in Ukraine and the sanctions they themselves imposed being the popular blame one has to seriously question whether this is yet another manufactured global crisis to corral us towards renewable energy, electric vehicles etc.

Should the above be the case, I posit that it is not purely ideologically driven but suggest the global elite class stand to profit enormously from what has been dubbed as the second industrial revolution in green energy.

On the radio today at lunchtime between work and the gym, the presenter suggested this 'energy crisis' would be present for atleast two years. How could they know this?

Buckle up buckeroo's - soon people who use basic electric appliances, don't have solar panels, EV's and/or ride a bicycle everywhere while eating worm burgers and bug paste will be the equivalent of the unvaccinated. Societal pariahs we will be and painted as the villains in the 'energy crisis' that was either manufactured or allowed to occur.

If you've stuck with me this far, thanks for reading.

your island continent is only populated across mainly your coasts. I can only imagine your electricity infrastructure was built appropiatley to that. You have a continent country with its whole population across a rubber band, welcome to the brave new world.

coming to me next, I wish you the best.

a reply to: Brotherman

Thanks, hope you fare well through whatever’s coming as well and for the record, most of our population is on the eastern coast specifically.

For me personally, I have a reasonably large car fridge and a portable battery hub I can charge with solar power to keep it running if need be. It could also run lights and our home is heated by a wood heater for which the fan can be run off the portable power hub. If it gets too hot I’m in walking distance of the local river.

Interesting times to say the least ahead I think.

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

it would be amazing if you said your heaters run by politicians and then you post a pic and you barely see a shoe almost stuffed into the heater but not so that its open enough to let it catch a little fire =P

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

The power supply is an essential industry that should be run by the government. They have sold it off, to a multinational who cares firstly for profit. The coal will still be getting delivered to China as you wonder where your fireplace went as you burn your carbon credits to stay warm. Ironically I am in NZ and am burning Australian gum on my wood heater, So far this winter I have had one fire and use four bits of the split log which keep the house warm all night. I am praying that common sense returns to your fair land soon. If they put our electricity prices up, I will first install a wetback. If they still keep going up I'll just get a few solar panels and tell them to go # themselves.

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

it would be amazing if you said your heaters run by politicians and then you post a pic and you barely see a shoe almost stuffed into the heater but not so that its open enough to let it catch a little fire =P

I could try but these days they’re all so green they wouldn’t burn well!

(We refer to our fire wood as dry or green depending on moisture content)

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

it would be amazing if you said your heaters run by politicians and then you post a pic and you barely see a shoe almost stuffed into the heater but not so that its open enough to let it catch a little fire =P

ironically the penalty

should be death by electric chair.

originally posted by: anonentity
a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

The power supply is an essential industry that should be run by the government. They have sold it off, to a multinational who cares firstly for profit. The coal will still be getting delivered to China as you wonder where your fireplace went as you burn your carbon credits to stay warm. Ironically I am in NZ and am burning Australian gum on my wood heater, So far this winter I have had one fire and use four bits of the split log which keep the house warm all night. I am praying that common sense returns to your fair land soon. If they put our electricity prices up, I will first install a wetback. If they still keep going up I'll just get a few solar panels and tell them to go # themselves.

Interesting, what species and where do you get it from? No coal in the fire place except the charred remains of usually stringy bark, iron bark when I’m lucky enough to find it and at times red or yellow box and silver top ash.

Agree there are certain essential industries that in theory should be run by the government. Problem is public service doesn’t pay as well as the private sector so you end up with the dunces who can’t get a job elsewhere.

In theory banks would be a great thing to be run by a capable government with interest paid being used to support public services and infrastructure instead of shareholders- could even be a way to reduce income tax. Before I was old enough to remember there was a state and/or nationally owned bank. Probably doesn’t exist anymore due to the dunces I mentioned above.

Thanks mate, hope all is well over there and continues to be.

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

There are some aspects of this explanation that don't quite add up to me although admittedly my understanding of this topic is rudimentary at best.

That’s because it is nonsense. Any appliance will only draw the “load” it requires no more and no no less. Trip switches are there for shorted or grounded circuits and do effectively protect from these faults.

They will use people’s ignorance of how electricity works as an excuse to ration and charge more for energy, all part of the great reset.

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

Apparently, Australian gum trees grow about twenty times faster over here. My Daughter and her hubby planted the drive with them about three years back Tasmanium gums, they are up about eight feet now. They seem to be getting organized for the "Future" they are totally off-grid. Check this out truckers in the states cant get diesel it's getting worse. this was on tic toc www.bitchute.com...

originally posted by: surfer_soul
a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

There are some aspects of this explanation that don't quite add up to me although admittedly my understanding of this topic is rudimentary at best.

That’s because it is nonsense. Any appliance will only draw the “load” it requires no more and no no less. Trip switches are there for shorted or grounded circuits and do effectively protect from these faults.

They will use people’s ignorance of how electricity works as an excuse to ration and charge more for energy, all part of the great reset.

Agree with your analysis it's part of this great reset agenda.

As I mentioned in the OP - my electrical knowledge is rudimentary at best, increased 100 fold when I bought my power hub which holds an 80 AH deep cycle battery in a box with a 300 watt inverter and has anderson, DC, AC, 12v and 240v outputs. But my (rudimentary) understanding is as you say, appliances won't draw more than they are built for and there are safety mechanisms in place.

originally posted by: anonentity
a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

Apparently, Australian gum trees grow about twenty times faster over here. My Daughter and her hubby planted the drive with them about three years back Tasmanium gums, they are up about eight feet now. They seem to be getting organized for the "Future" they are totally off-grid. Check this out truckers in the states cant get diesel it's getting worse. this was on tic toc www.bitchute.com...

I find that difficult to believe to be honest as there are a multitude of Australian native trees all suited to the multitudes of climates in Australia. Perhaps particular species do better over there.

Do you know what species the trees at your daughters place are? Perhaps Tasmanian Blue Gums? They sound like my wife and I, we live in town now though our 3-5 year plan is getting out in to the hills.

The fuel shortages I agree will get worse....and if we can't even support basic appliances through peak demand how in the HELL are we all going to charge EV's? Think I need to go up to the high country and try catch a few brumbies (wild horses).

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

I read an article about this a couple of weeks ago and I was shocked to learn wholesale energy prices are above retail prices. That means retail suppliers are operating at a loss, as you point out, it seems they are being instructed to keep operating at a loss. And if they are also being compensated for those losses by the government, what that means is tax payers are really covering the extra cost without knowing it.

It seems they are trying to suppress some aspects of inflation, but eventually we will feel the full impact. I highly doubt this situation can go on much longer, prices will have to rise or the energy market could implode. But if energy prices double as predicted, then we'll have another crisis on our hands. We have just entered winter, and people aren't going to be happy when they see their electricity bill at the end of winter.

Australia is on the "precipice" of a UK-style energy crisis that could send many of its power retailers broke and fuel a surge of households unable to pay their bills, a leading expert has warned.

The soaring cost of wholesale energy has triggered widespread alarm among observers and there are fears a significant chunk of Australia's retail electricity market will be wiped out in the crunch.
...
"The wholesale energy market has just become so extreme that we're now seeing a situation where wholesale prices are above retail prices," Mr Blincoe said.

According to Mr Blincoe, customers of ReAmped who didn't find a different supplier were facing a doubling of prices from July.

Australia on the 'precipice' of a UK-style energy crisis as soaring costs push retailers out

originally posted by: ChaoticOrder
a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

I read an article about this a couple of weeks ago and I was shocked to learn wholesale energy prices are above retail prices. That means retail suppliers are operating at a loss, as you point out, it seems they are being instructed to keep operating at a loss. And if they are also being compensated for those losses by the government, what that means is tax payers are really covering the extra cost without knowing it.

It seems they are trying to suppress some aspects of inflation, but eventually we will feel the full impact. I highly doubt this situation can go on much longer, prices will have to rise or the energy market could implode. But if energy prices double as predicted, then we'll have another crisis on our hands. We have just entered winter, and people aren't going to be happy when they see their electricity bill at the end of winter.

It's quite a bizarre situation, whoever the guest was on the Radio National program I caught a bit of was talking about those second tier retailers that aren't actually producers encouraging people looking for a better deal to go to the wholesalers, the likes of AGL etc. He said the second tier retailers only have a finite access to supply and the more customers obviously increases demand in in turn raises prices.

The wife and I were shocked after only running the electric heater intermittently a few months ago before I went and cut firewood. Bloody outrageous and that was about two months ago.

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM
This looks like it’s a deliberate plans to drive people to the wall and force utility prices up.

It’s about creating a false shortage of supply.

I can’t understand, why not take advantage that we have less sun at the moment, and take advantage of the Tesla solar battery farms, to hold the excess coal fired electricity, then maybe run the coal fired stations at 50 percent to regulate supply.
As you know in Victoria, the state gubment is pushing for an all electric future.

So as it is already our natural gas prices have been jacked up, people can’t heat their homes nor cook, petrol prices are now $2.18 a litre.

So in order to force control on people, those with electric cars, and petrol cars are going to be limited in their movements, cause we can’t afford to run them.

This along with fresh fruit and veggie prices going up. $10.00 bucks for a lettuce!

Seems like nonsense. The way they have it written up as an explanation sounds like this is their first year working with electricity. If the system worked before, there is no need for sudden problems, other than manipulation to an agenda.

All that excess power is "danger to people and appliances"... scaring people as usual. Power companies know their business.

a reply to: robsmith
It wont limit your movement it will stop it abruptly. No matter how high the energy price is if you've got an electric car plugged in you aint going anywhere cos the electric is cut off.

Welcome to the new world of all electric vehicles. If the power companies can't provide constant power for domestic use how in the name of god will they cope with millions of cars drawing off the system.

Why doe's everyone suddenly have power problems grids aren't global ?

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

Well, quite obviously, there are just too many people in Australia. We have a vaccine for that.

The great reset moves forward to the next stage: blackouts, food shortages and probably more viruses.