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Key Points
- Maintenance work has begun this weekend on one of Mt Piper’s two generating units, so that it is expected to return to service early next week.
- The alternate unit at Mt Piper will remain online throughout the weekend.
- The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has advised that sufficient electricity supply can be made available to meet forecast demand over the weekend across all regions in the National Electricity Market.
- EnergyAustralia encourages all customers who are financially struggling to make contact as there are a range of measures available to support them.
Statement attributed to Mark Collette, Managing Director at EnergyAustralia:
“In response to tight conditions in the energy market this past week, our focus is on introducing as much fuel and generation supply as possible, while ensuring customers who might be struggling financially to get the help they need.
“Despite some challenges with fuel supply and unplanned maintenance we are continuing to keep supply of fuel and generation at a relatively high level. Our power station teams are working hard, often in difficult circumstances, to make sure Australian homes and businesses continue to be provided energy as an essential service.
“This weekend we decided is to undertake maintenance at our Mt Piper power station in New South Wales, which is made up of two units totalling 1430MW. We choose this weekend as the optimal time for this work, as the longer we leave the issue, the more time it will potentially take to repair.
“The alternate unit at Mt Piper will remain online throughout the weekend
“Specifically, maintenance teams are repairing an air heater which requires one generating unit to be offline.
“Households and businesses can rest assured as AEMO has advised that sufficient electricity supply is available to meet forecast demand this weekend across all regions covering the National Electricity Market.
“Three generating units at Yallourn power station in Victoria are online and we expect to safely return a fourth unit to service later next week.
“Our gas-fired assets across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia – led by the teams who run them – continue to do a fantastic job of injecting much-needed supply into the system.
“Looking more broadly, the work our energy teams are doing right now across Australia is helping to ensure that when our customers flick the switch, their lights turn on.”
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Background
Support for customers
EnergyAustralia’s EnergyAssist program means the power won’t be disconnected and debt collection activities won’t be initiated. Residential customers also have access to tailored payment plans, energy audits, information on grant programs and advice on energy usage.
Through Rapid Business Assist, specialist advisors can discuss ways for EnergyAustralia’s small and medium-sized business customers to lower energy consumption, the government energy relief subsidies available, and options for tailored payment schedules.
Small businesses can directly call EnergyAustralia on 1800 146 749 where a specialist advisors will be able to help them. Residential customers in need of support are encouraged to visit our website or to call 133 466.
Australia’s current energy supply crunch is the result of heavy rains and geological issues slowing domestic coal supply, cyclically low wind and solar production, untimely generator outages, the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia and high prices for Australia’s coal and gas.
EnergyAustralia’s coal-fired assets
The 1430MW Mt Piper power station in New South Wales has two units of 730MW and 700MW respectively. The station was commissioned in stages over 1992 and 1993.
The 1480MW Yallourn power station in Victoria has four generating units and began operations in the 1970s.