The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has released its Summer Operations report, finding the impact of unprecedented and catastrophic fires coupled with other extreme weather events across Australia highlighted the need to strengthen resilience in the country’s electricity and gas networks.
Chief Executive of AEMO, Audrey Zibelman said the report, 2019-20 National Electricity Market (NEM) Summer Operations Review Report, considered the effectiveness of preparations undertaken by AEMO, State Governments and NEM participants ahead of summer, and subsequent real-time efforts to manage power system events during the season.
“Australia’s physical electricity infrastructure is being increasingly challenged by longer lasting and more extreme climatic and bushfire conditions,” Ms Zibelman said, “which threaten and degrade transmission and generation infrastructure.”
Ashe said they also created forecasting challenges as fire, ash, smoke and haze impact transmission networks and solar output.
“The preparations by AEMO and the industry contributed to mitigating the potentially extensive and significant power-system impacts of a season characterised by record high temperatures, catastrophic bushfires, significant smoke, dust, and violent storm activity,” Ms Zibelman said.
“Despite unprecedented challenges, power system security was maintained.”
She said the outcomes from last summer emphasised the value of the preparations taken prior to the start of the season.
“The process for preparing for summer 2020-21 will be similar, as far as possible to that undertaken for this summer with additional challenges due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
She said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had granted interim authorisation to AEMO to allow electricity industry participants to co-operate on certain measures in order to ensure safe, secure, and reliable operation of Australia’s energy systems, ongoing energy supply, and integrity of wholesale markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“AEMO will use this process where necessary to manage generator and transmission maintenance so it can be completed prior to summer,” Ms Zibelman said.
AEMO’s 66-page Summer Operations report can be accessed at this PS News link.
