Victoria risk of blackouts as grid wilts

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Aug-19

The Australian Energy Market Operator has warned that there is a significant risk that Victoria will face electricity blackouts during the 2019-20 summer. It has released a report which notes that the state will not meet the required standard for electricity supply reliability during the coming summer months, citing factors such as unplanned outages at AGL Energy’s Loy Yang power station and Origin Energy’s Mortlake gas plant. AEMO also says there is a high risk of blackouts in Victoria over the next decade unless there is increased power generation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Power employees told to bend for plant’s survival

Original article by Nick Toscano
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 20 : 23-Dec-16

Members of the Electrical Trades Union intend to stop work for an hour at the Loy Yang A power station in Victoria on 25 December 2016. The union and AGL Energy cannot agree over the terms of a new workplace agreement. AGL’s head of Loy Yang, Steve Rieniets, says changes in labour practices are necessary to ensure viability of the plant.

CORPORATES
AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

No Hazelwood, no energy plan

Original article by Jennifer Hewett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 4-Nov-16

The closure of Hazelwood power station will have serious economic consequences for Victoria’s Latrobe Valley region as 750 workers will lose their jobs. Both state and Federal Governments have promised financial assistance, with the latter to provide $A43 million in aid. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews insists that the decision of majority owner Engie to close Hazelwood has nothing to do with the state’s energy policy.

CORPORATES
ENGIE SA, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Victoria to ‘waste’ smart power meters

Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Feb-16

The Victorian Government has decided that households will be able to choose to be placed on flexible electricity tariffs. However, Tony Wood of the Grattan Institute warns that the "opt-in" policy will result in a low take-up rate for the flexible tariffs scheme, which offers lower electricity rates in off-peak periods. He adds that the decision means Victorian households will not gain most of the benefits of the state’s $A2bn smart meter rollout.

CORPORATES
GRATTAN INSTITUTE, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOBS, TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS