❓ Hon Martin Aldridge questions the Minister for Energy regarding power supply reliability, backup generators, and safety concerns. The response clarifies generator availability, government stance, and safety advice resources.
AnsweredQoN 1566Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ENERGY — SUPPLY RELIABILITY
1566. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Energy:
I
refer to comments made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for
Energy in March 2022 in which he said —
There is a risk in regional Western Australia
that the power can go out � why not de-risk the business with a very small
investment in a generator? It makes no sense why people do not do that, because
there will be days when there is no power.
(1) Do Western Power and Horizon
Power have sufficient generators to keep the lights on this summer?
(2) Does the
state government encourage electricity consumers to buy a generator in the
event that disruption occurs?
(3) Do network
operators have any safety concerns in relation to the use of backup generators
and risks that could be faced by work crews responding to faults?
(4) What advice
is provided to consumers to ensure that their backup generators operate safely
if they take up the parliamentary secretary's advice?
1566. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Energy:
I
refer to comments made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for
Energy in March 2022 in which he said —
There is a risk in regional Western Australia
that the power can go out � why not de-risk the business with a very small
investment in a generator? It makes no sense why people do not do that, because
there will be days when there is no power.
(1) Do Western Power and Horizon
Power have sufficient generators to keep the lights on this summer?
(2) Does the
state government encourage electricity consumers to buy a generator in the
event that disruption occurs?
(3) Do network
operators have any safety concerns in relation to the use of backup generators
and risks that could be faced by work crews responding to faults?
(4) What advice
is provided to consumers to ensure that their backup generators operate safely
if they take up the parliamentary secretary's advice?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question in regard to my practical, highly adopted and
optimal suggestion. On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the
following answer.
(1) Western Power and Horizon Power maintain several
emergency generators to be deployed in the event of localised disruption. Preparation of the power
system in the south west interconnected system, serving the majority of electricity customers in the state, is
managed by the Australian Energy Market Operator. AEMO is responsible
for the provision of adequate generation under the wholesale electricity market
rules.
(2) No.
(3)–(4) The
Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety publishes advice on
how to operate backup generators safely,
which is available on its website. Horizon Power also provides information
about generator safety on its website.
some notice of the question in regard to my practical, highly adopted and
optimal suggestion. On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the
following answer.
(1) Western Power and Horizon Power maintain several
emergency generators to be deployed in the event of localised disruption. Preparation of the power
system in the south west interconnected system, serving the majority of electricity customers in the state, is
managed by the Australian Energy Market Operator. AEMO is responsible
for the provision of adequate generation under the wholesale electricity market
rules.
(2) No.
(3)–(4) The
Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety publishes advice on
how to operate backup generators safely,
which is available on its website. Horizon Power also provides information
about generator safety on its website.
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