HELTER SWELTER
Power- saving plan rejected in the North
A STATE Government plan to ease the pressure on power supply, which includes turning up airconditioners, has been given the cold shoulder in Townsville.
The plan recommends households and businesses set airconditioners at 26C or above during times of high power demand over summer.
The idea has been ridiculed by the Opposition and rejected by North Queenslanders.
QUEEN SLANDERS face being told to turn up their airconditioners and switch off their appliances despite energy experts downplaying the risk of blackouts this summer.
The Palaszczuk Government’s electricity austerity measures, which include householders potentially being told to bump up their airconditioners to 26C, come as Queensland’s electricity generators continue to prop up energy shortfalls in the southern states.
Energy Minister Mark Bailey yesterday denied that Queenslanders would be asked to turn up their airconditioners to help keep the southern states cool, saying the Government’s measures were instead about ensuring the energy grid could cope with the demand.
State Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls attacked the Palaszczuk Government over the plan in Parliament yesterday, describing it as “electricity rationing”.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk returned fire, attacking the LNP’s election promise to build a new power station when the state already had “eight of the most efficient coal- fired power stations helping to power Queensland and the nation”.
“If there were an appetite to build a new coal- fire power station in Queensland, it would have happened,” Ms Palaszczuk told Parliament.
The Australian Energy Market Operator last month said energy reliability was at a “heightened risk”, with South Australian and Victorian households most exposed.
AEMO yesterday said while its 10- year forecast showed no risk of Queenslanders losing power, “targeted actions to provide additional firming capability are necessary to reduce risks of supply interruptions for peak summer periods”.
“AEMO anticipates demand management to play an increasingly crucial role within the power system,” an AEMO spokesman said yesterday.
Energy customer advocate and former Energex manager Mike Swanston said while Queensland had enough generation to meet peak demand, there was “no room for error” should something go wrong.
“The likelihood of blackouts is low,” Mr Swanston said.
“What they are nervous about is ( the) systems’ peak on a hot summer’s afternoon, especially just on sunset, when all solar stops working,” he said.
“It’s like every bus is on the street and if one breaks down you’re going to have trouble.”
He said while Queensland had built up its electricity generation assets, NSW and Victoria had not kept pace and more heavily relied on renewables.
“Generally on very hot days there’s a power flow south,” he said.