AER has issued $750,000 in penalties to EnergyAustralia for allegedly failing to provide required frequency control ancillary services. The regulator stated the breaches involved non-compliance with dispatch instructions intended to maintain grid stability and prevent power disruptions. In the NEM on Wednesday, Tasmania recorded a maximum price of $23,200/MWh at 13:35. The NEM average price reached $93.70/MWh, sitting 54 per cent above the seven-day average of $60.50/MWh. AEMO issued 12 notices between 13:40 and 16:35 advising that prices for trading intervals in that window were subject to review.
A four-hour technical failure impacted the Australian Wind Energy Forecasting System and the Australian Solar Energy Forecasting System on Tuesday. WattClarity estimated that semi-scheduled generators without self-forecasting capabilities were forced to operate without standard central inputs until 22:25. System frequency remained stable on Tuesday despite the widespread reliance on supervisory control and data acquisition availability forecasts for variable renewable energy dispatch. WattClarity noted the event tested grid resilience during periods of potential forecast inaccuracy without triggering significant frequency excursions.
Fortescue’s 250 MWh battery at North Star Junction maintained network stability in Western Australia’s Pilbara following an unplanned 95 MW power station outage. The event demonstrated the grid-forming capabilities of the storage system in managing sudden generation losses within isolated industrial networks.
The Clean Energy Regulator suspended Solar Power Nation from the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. The ban prevents the major solar and battery retailer from participating in the federal rebate program for small-scale installations. The Western Australian Government awarded $15 million to Australian Vanadium Limited to develop a high-capacity, relocatable vanadium flow battery facility. The funding was provided via the Investment Attraction Fund to establish local manufacturing and deployment capabilities for long-duration energy storage. Hadean Energy secured a $15 million grant to develop technology that utilises waste heat to lower hydrogen production electricity requirements by as much as 30 per cent.
Delta and Samsung Vista C&I Australia lodged an environmental impact statement for a 400 MW and 800 MWh battery energy storage system on the New South Wales Central Coast. The project is planned alongside the 1,320 MW Vales Point Power Station. Boom Logistics completed the HumeLink East towers near Adjungbilly as part of its involvement in the delivery of Transgrid's HumeLink West transmission project. Ergon Energy is committing over $50 million to construct a new substation and underground transmission line in Toowoomba. The infrastructure project is designed to provide dedicated supply to the new Toowoomba Hospital while increasing network capacity for regional load growth.
The NEM spot price averaged $91.90/MWh on Wednesday, with Tasmania averaging a standout $148.60/MWh. The highest price was $23,200/MWh in Tasmania at 13:35, while South Australia recorded 19.5 hours of negative prices. New South Wales recorded the demand peak of 8,636 MW at 17:45. Renewables provided 49.5 per cent of energy, with an instantaneous peak of 76.7 per cent at 11:00, while batteries discharged 14,462 MWh. Frequency control ancillary services costs totalled $2.29 million, driven by spikes in Tasmania where five different services reached prices between $23,190/MW and $23,200/MW.
Natural gas prices fell 2.2 per cent to US$3.22/mmbtu, while Dutch TTF gas rose 2.9 per cent to EUR87.22/MWh.
AER issued 10 infringement notices to EnergyAustralia for alleged breaches of its obligations to provide frequency control ancillary services. Endeavour Energy published its 2026 Safety Management System Performance Measurement Report highlighting its annual safety performance and bushfire preparedness. SA Power Networks issued a notice advising agricultural workers not to break records for the wrong reason this harvest.