EnergyAustralia has announced its new fast-start gas generator at its Hallett power station is on track to provide another 30MW of generation to the South Australian energy grid as early as this summer 2020.
Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister, Angus Taylor, said generators like this will help ensure that people have affordable, reliable power on the worst days, and that there’s downward pressure on prices when there are shortages of supply.
“The beauty of gas is it is flexible and can deliver on demand energy that ensures when Australians flick the switch, the lights come on and stay on,” Mr Taylor said.
“This fast-start gas generator will be able to operate at full capacity within five minutes, providing a rapid response to changes in renewable generation supply.”
This builds on investments in dispatchable power in South Australia with AGL opening the new Barker Inlet Power Station in early November 2019.
More gas in the system and lower prices are a high importance for the Government as they implement a range of initiatives aimed at keeping prices down while ensuring grid reliability. Some of the programs include the $1 billion Grid Reliability Fund, and the Retailer Reliability Obligation which requires energy retailers to have enough dispatchable generation in the market to keep the lights on.
The Australian Energy Market Operator Quarterly Energy Dynamics Q3 2019 report released in November 2019 found gas prices were at their lowest levels since 2017.
