In October AEMO presented a draft gas demand forecast for 2023 and beyond to its gas forecasting reference group,which is made up of representatives of large energy producers and consumers who meet before the final forecast is released in December.
The feedback from the group—that usually includes employees of state-owned generate Synergy—was that AEMO’s assumption that the output of WA’s three coal-fired power stations would return to normal in January 2023 was wrong.
AEMO has day-to-day control of power generation on the South West Interconnected System,which is the grid that provides power to homes and businesses that spans the area between Kalbarri,Albany and Kalgoorlie and includes Perth.
The forecast implies that AEMO expects planned coal imports will not fully recoup lost production from Collie’s two coal miners Premier and Griffin that are weighed down with debt and face rising costs as the overburden to be removed to produce each tonne of coal rises each year.
Loading
Synergyshut its Collie power station for three months until January to build up its coal stockpile for expected peak demand during the hotter summer months of January and February.
The prediction comes even after Synergy confirmed plans to begin importing coal this year from New South Wales for its Collie and Muja power stations normally supplied by Premier.