Antinuclear

Demand for power falls http://www.theage.com.au/business/demand-for-power-falls-20120808-23uk9.html#ixzz235uEjIIk August 9, 2012 Brian Robins New power stations will not be needed until 2018: forecast  WEAK electricity demand will delay for several years the need to build new power stations and, when building resumes, renewable power and peaking power plants using gas will be the main new sources of energy.
The latest annual forecast by the Australian Energy Market Operator
estimates the next new power station will not be needed until 2018-19
in Victoria, a four-year delay from the forecast drawn up just a year
ago.
The longest delay will be in Queensland, where no new capacity will
now be needed until 2020-21, rather than as soon as 2013-14 expected a
year ago, the AEMO said in the Electricity Statement of Opportunities,
its annual forecast, to be released today.
In New South Wales, additions to capacity will not be needed until
2021-22, a three-year delay from that forecast of a year ago.
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In all cases, sluggish power demand due to the soft economy, the
strong dollar and a large rise in electricity prices, is the main
factor in the projected delays, along with the increase in rooftop
solar systems, although in Queensland, the extended deferral also
reflects a change in the forecasting methodology.
”We haven’t had maximum demand across the national electricity market
since 2009,” Matt Zema, the head of AEMO, said.
Since 2009-10, annual energy in the national electricity market has
been falling about 1.7 per cent annually, AEMO said, with average
wholesale power prices falling since about 2006-07.
Along with the economic slowdown, seasonally cooler summer weather has
also cut demand during the mid-summer peak, with the rising number of
wind farms also helping to drive down wholesale prices.
The forecast does not take account of the federal government program
to idle 2000 megawatts of heavily polluting generation capacity by
2020 under the Contracts for Closure program, which is yet to be
finalised. This program has the potential to bring forward the need
for extra capacity, AEMO noted in the forecast.

August 9, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy