Hi Paul,
You are correct.
In the SA instance on the 8th Feb 2017, the Pelican Point operator
put out this press release yesterday -
http://engie.com.au/media/UploadedDo...tement%203.pdf
So in a nutshell, they claim they did not come online because AEMO
did not request them to come online.
The reliable supply of power in a market driven system is a keystone of
the AEMO charter.
What is suppose to happen under the AEMO charter is that they intervene
and demand that an operator come online.
As the world's power networks get a larger number of renewable
power generator assets, precisely what was engineered by design to
happen is to make sure that reserve power can be called upon if need be.
I mentioned yesterday about the California Energy Crises in 2000 and
2001 in which the infamous Enron corporation created artificial electricity
shortages on the network in order to raise the market price.
See -
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...1&postcount=18
Hypothetically, unscrupulous players have the potential to manipulate the
Australian electricity market to their advantage in a similar way to what Enron did.
For example, if you were unscrupulous and had large investments in
power generation using gas or coal, you could increase your market
share by creating artificial shortages during periods of emergency demand.
Like Enron, sit on your hands and make sure your plants stay down
for maintenance - so that load shedding would become inevitable.
In theory, you and gas and coal suppliers could lobby the federal government
that it is in their interests as well. What you could do is if there was
a state with an opposition government that happened to have higher
levels of renewable power generation is to turn a blind eye to reserve
power not being available in that state so that the consumers intentionally
suffer.
The very moment blackouts then occur, you could then theoretically
put some spin on it and blame it on the state government and their
policy on being forerunners in renewables.
If you get enough blackouts and disruptions, you could make people in that
state angry enough to throw out that government at the next state election.
This would have the added benefit and cast a shadow in the minds of people
as to the viability of renewables in other states. Coal and gas suppliers
and operators would then be able to take market share from
lower priced renewable suppliers.
Of course such a hypothetical would not be in the national interest,
would be unconscionable and would lead to jail sentences if you were
ever involved.