Power Supply Problems in South Aust

**humax300** · 02-10-16, 12:06 PM

frequency generation shedding (OFGS)scheme
Never heard of the word but it means a lot,example is when a whole section of transmission line supply a power load to a part of a state (S.A.) falls over and then that start a increase in voltage and frequency
from the generators that has to be corrected,meaning shut down some gererators, can start a cascading affect.
Some good reading for those inclined is at "https://www.aemo.com.au/Electricity/National-Electricity-Market-NEM/Security-and-reliability/-/media/CACEB2122362436DAC2CDD6E8D3E70D0.ashx"

**shred** · 02-10-16, 12:31 PM

It usually works the other way too - if a large alternator fails, or a transmission line to a power station, a large chunk of load will need to be dropped in a big hurry to stabilise the system until other generators are brought up to speed to make up for the loss.

I don't know what happens in SA, but in Tasmania, some of the bulk power users, such as the aluminium smelter have an arrangement where they can be dropped off the grid within half a second if such a fault develops. I think the worst case scenario for Tas is BassLink failing at full export (500MW or so).

**gordon_s1942** · 02-10-16, 01:02 PM

Major transmission lines carry voltages I believe at 500,000 Volts so can you imagine what happens when anything goes pear shaped?
I remember reading something like Popular Mechanics or Science magazines and they had a great article on tests being carried out to enable high voltages to be sent and what electricity did as the voltages were increased.
If there were not these 'safeguards' to safely 'dump' power when a fault occurs, could you imagine what would happen if even 1/10th of the Transmission line Voltage got out into the household distribution network??

**humax300** · 02-10-16, 03:34 PM

We are all thrilled that it took SA back to the dark days,Ive since heard that general inspection of the tower sites showed that they were installed to budget(read low) and the bases wasn't really designed to accept winds up to the high loading experienced, look at the real cyclone areas of Aust,how many in Queensland and NT have "fallen over", perhaps the steel should be tested to see if its special HK steel, I guess us bottom feeders will never find out.
Anyway I've put in a plan to change my power wiring to incorporate a emergency power changeover switch so that will take us to a self suffient stage running a generator.

**lsemmens** · 02-10-16, 04:05 PM

I have a genset that has never fired a shot. And, yes, I was without power for nearly 24 hours.

**mi_tasol** · 02-10-16, 06:45 PM

my next power move, once the generous 44c feed in tariff is removed, will be to a power wall - my solar panels generate enough for us, even on cloudy days

**humax300** · 03-10-16, 06:13 PM

Interesting Reading

**SpankedHam** · 04-10-16, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by gordon_s1942

If there were not these 'safeguards' to safely 'dump' power when a fault occurs, could you imagine what would happen if even 1/10th of the Transmission line Voltage got out into the household distribution network??

- 11kV bridged onto low voltage network by an arc fault, which did not clear once struck. Being the USA I'm surprised that at least one person didn't rush out of their house and shoot the leadin off with a shotgun. I know I would have and I'm not even a yank!

**Guiseppe** · 08-10-16, 08:24 AM

"Short-sighted over-development of variable generation without compensatory planning and policy has driven consequences that were entirely foreseeable. Suggestions that the renewable sector is now merely a “scapegoat” for our problems are absurd, "

Bill Heard, Malcolm Turnbull and others. Please explain how renewable energy caused the collapse of the transmission towers.

**watchdog** · 08-10-16, 09:02 AM

I dont think anyone has ever said that renewable energy caused the transmission towers to fall over

**gordon_s1942** · 08-10-16, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by watchdog

I dont think anyone has ever said that renewable energy caused the transmission towers to fall over

Quite correct, but what they were saying was that SA's reliance on 'Renewable Energy Source' caused the Blackouts which of course is totally untrue.
While these erroneous comments were being made, reports were being given that the towers 'had been ripped out of the Ground' while background pictures showed that they had instead collapsed possibly because they were never designed or built for more than moderate storm activity.

**watchdog** · 08-10-16, 06:20 PM

Although it was pooly worded I think what they were inferring was that because of the high level of renewable and low level of baseload generators the state was reliant on the connection to the eastern grid for baseload supply. Once that grid connection was lost (and the wind & solar not generating) they were totally stuffed as againt just badly stuffed had they had sufficient internal generation.

**peteramjet** · 08-10-16, 07:02 PM

Other states (Tassie aside) have sufficient baseload capability from 'non-renewable' sources that prevent this type of mass outage from occurring for extended periods.

The reliance on renewables didn't cause the initial blackout, but the relienace did cause the blackout to last for the lengthy period of time that it did.

**lsemmens** · 09-10-16, 09:15 PM

The only idiots that were spouting the "renewables caused this" line were the stupid reporters. Even Jay Wetherall said that it was a weather event. He did duck and weave over the lack of base load supply though.

**Guiseppe** · 10-10-16, 01:15 PM

I cannot find an iview of the news in which our "innovation" Prime Minister effectively blamed SA's renewables as the cause of the blackout. It was widely reported though:

**Guiseppe** · 10-10-16, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Guiseppe

I cannot find an iview of the news in which our "innovation" Prime Minister effectively blamed SA's renewables as the cause of the blackout. It was widely reported though:

EDIT: Found a couple of videos