Power outage warning tonight

Queensland households are being warned to brace for potential power outages tonight as the price of electricity continues to soar.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), which manages electricity, gas systems and markets across Australia, has issued a warning to say there could be disruptions in the power supply between 5-8.30pm due to an imbalance of supply and demand.

In a media release issued by AEMO it said: “electricity spot prices in Queensland reached a cumulative high price threshold of $1,359,100 (accumulated over seven days) on 12 June 2022, triggering an administered price cap of $300/MWh in accordance with the National Electricity Rules”.

The price cap will remain in place at least until 4am tomorrow and will only remain in place if the cumulative price threshold is still exceeded. The market will be notified when the cap is lifted.

AEMO will take available actions to deliver additional supply or demand reduction, to maintain power system security.

The market operator will continue to monitor reserve conditions closely in Queensland, New South Wales, and more broadly across the NEM, providing further updates if conditions change.

For more information, head to the AEMO website.