South Australia’s power cut sparks anger over reliance on wind and solar energy
South Australia cut power to about 40,000 homes and firms for about half an hour on Wednesday when it was 41°C and electricity use spiked, and the wind died down
Melbourne — A power outage during a searing heat wave in South Australia state has worsened a row with the federal government over energy security and the state’s heavy reliance on wind and solar power. Australia’s energy market operator cut power to about 40,000 homes and small businesses in the state for about half an hour on Wednesday when it was 41°C when electricity use spiked as people returned home from work, and the wind died down. The incident came just months after a major blackout hit the state, which is heavily dependent on wind and solar power, and followed a string of smaller outages and power price spikes, which have sparked reviews of the national electricity market and the Australian energy policy. The federal government blames South Australia for failing to secure reliable power supplies while it has rushed into promoting renewable energy, putting major businesses at risk. BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam copper mine, the state’s biggest power user, was forced to stop pr...
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