Australian Energy Market Operator

Australian Energy Market Operator
Agency overview
Formed 2009
Website www.aemo.com.au

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) performs an array of gas and electricity market, operational, development and planning functions. It manages the National Electricity Market (NEM) and the Victorian gas transmission network. AEMO also facilitates electricity and gas full retail contestability, overseeing these retail markets in eastern and southern Australia. It is additionally responsible for national transmission planning for electricity and the establishment of a Short Term Trading Market (STTM) for gas.[1]

It commenced operations on 1 July 2009,[2] superseding several state-based and cross-state organisations including the National Electricity Market Management Company Limited (NEMMCO), the Victorian Energy Networks Corporation (VENCorp) which was responsible for the efficient operation of gas and electricity industries in Victoria, the Electricity Supply Industry Planning Council (ESIPC) which was responsible for the effective operation of the electricity industry in South Australia, the South Australian operations of Retail Energy Market Company (REMCo)), Gas Market Company (GMC) and Gas Retail Market Operator (GRMO).

In March 2017, AEMO sought to reassure the public that the closure of the Hazelwood Power Station, which has a capacity of 1600 megawatt, would be offset by the availability of three mothballed gas-fired stations, which have a combined capacity of 830 megawatts, and large industrial businesses agreeing to time-shift their electricity use in the event of an emergency. The addition capacity would be provided by the Pelican Point Power Station in South Australia, Tamar Valley Power Station in Tasmania and Swanbank Power Station in Queensland.[3]

In 2017, AGL Energy reaffirmed that it intends to close the Liddell Power Station in 2022.[4] The closure of this and other coal-burning power stations in Australia has led to the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, to seek advice from AEMO on extending the life of a number of them,[5] to head off future power shortages.[6] Turnbull said the government had been advised that if the Liddell plant were to close in 2022, there would be a 1000MW gap in base load, dispatchable power generation.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ministerial Statement "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  2. ↑ AEMO Website "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 31 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-11.
  3. ↑ What we'll do to keep the lights on post Hazelwood: grid operator
  4. ↑ "AGL Energy statement on Liddell Power Station". AGL Energy. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  5. 1 2 Osborne, Paul (6 September 2017). "Turnbull throws his weight behind coal power". InDaily. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  6. ↑ Liddell power plant operating below 40 per cent capacity, faces 'mammoth' woes
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