A connection between the Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park and the national electricity grid is under investigation to cause the light to flicker and dim over southern Australia for hours this morning.
Key points:
- There are reports of lights flickering or dimming across Adelaide
- ElectraNet has confirmed that a third party that joined the power grid was the source of the problem
- The third party has since been disconnected from the network
Energy distributor ElectraNet said the privately owned power generator is connected its new wind farm to the grid in northern Australia’s north around 1:30 a.m., causing a “voltage problem”.
There have been widespread reports of house and street lights flickering across the state as a result.
South Australian Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the problem was not related to AEMO’s gradual cessation of its intervention in wholesale price ceilingswhich started from kl. 4 and would last for 24 hours.
The minister stopped attributing the blame, but said it could be “a connection issue”.
“We do not know what the real cause is. We know the source of the problem, but we do not know who caused it,” he said.
“It could have been [the] renewable energy park, it could have been ElectraNet. “
ElectraNet said it was working with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to identify the cause and the third party was disconnected from the network.
It said the power supply returned to normal around 5:30 in the morning.
ElectraNet’s interim CEO Rainer Korte said the fluctuations had less impact than they would otherwise have because the wind farm generator in question was only in the commissioning phase.
“We do not like to see these impacts, but the reason why we are taking a cautious approach to commissioning the gradual release of capacity is precisely for this reason – to identify any problems and limit the impact of any problems that may arise. be identified, “he said.
Sir. Koutsantonis said major carriers like GFG and BHP noticed the “voltage fluctuations”.
He denies that there was an inherent problem with renewable energy.
“I do not think it was anything malicious or dangerous. I just think it’s probably testing, probably either a new generator trying to establish its connection to the grid after commissioning,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide this morning.
“There was testing, and as demand began to rise into the day, they pulled the test and the flicker stopped.”
Premier Peter Malinauskas said ElectraNet controlled the transmission lines from power plants to localized networks.
“The issue of transmission lines lies with ElectraNet, and there’s apparently a frequency issue there with one of their feeders,” he said.
“I understand that an investigation is underway from AEMO with ElectraNet.”
AEMO last week suspended the market and ordered generators to pump power into the network to keep the light on.
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