South Australian Government Claims Victory Over Electricity Prices

SA’s Marshall Government is strutting its renewables street cred and spruiking electricity bill savings over the last four years, while sledging Labor’s previous performance on power prices.

Anyone would think there’s an election around the corner.

The Marshall Government says a new report from the Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) indicates households have saved an average $421 on their annual electricity bills since it took office. What isn’t mentioned is average electricity bills for households on market offers started slowly reducing 6 months or so before.

South Australians head to the polls next month to have their say on who will be running the state next.

“Voters will get to decide if they want to go back to the most expensive electricity in the world and constant blackouts that Tom Koutsantonis delivered, or the stick with a Government that has delivered $421 in annual savings and the lowest number of hours lost to blackouts in the country,” said Premier Marshall on Sunday.

Constant blackouts? I don’t remember that. But there was a big blackout across much of the state back in 2016; following which some politicians confused powerful winds with wind power and said stupid stuff (Mr. Marshall among them).

Deputy Premier and Energy Minister Dan “The Battery Man” van Holst Pellekaan was also keen to lay the boot into Labor on the weekend.

“The Marshall Liberal Government inherited an electricity system on its knees, reliant on third world dirty diesel generators to keep the lights on from a Labor government charging South Australian families and businesses like a wounded bull,” he said.

Those “third world dirty diesel generators” were actually a bit of high-tech kit – mobile General Electric TM2500 turbine generators –  that were subsequently switched to not-quite-as filthy gas as planned. As far as I know they are still used at times to stabilise the grid and prevent blackouts.

Even Cheaper Electricity Ahead?

The selective memories, some rewriting of history, exaggerations and sledging aside, the Marshall Government really embraced renewables after a somewhat shaky start – and this is A Very Good Thing.

Previously, the state Liberals wanted to abolish the state’s renewable energy target before a road to Damascus moment that led to a target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 set. It shouldn’t be forgotten Labor were big on renewables too – and the Libs were very critical of this.

Minister van Holst Pellekaan mentions SA’s Home Battery Scheme, virtual power plants, grid-scale batteries and the SA-NSW interconnector (Project EnergyConnect) getting the green light among the Marshall Government’s successes; which should help deliver even more savings.

“South Australia is now a leading energy jurisdiction worldwide with over 60% renewable energy, cheaper electricity and no insufficient supply or grid stability impacts on consumers over the last four years,” he stated.

While SA isn’t quite the renewable energy utopia it could be; things are better and the Marshall Government deserves some brownie points for this.

Something that didn’t seem to rate a mention in the press release was the very important role tens of thousands of South Australian households and businesses played in SA’s success – installing solar power systems on their rooftops, and increasingly, batteries. There were/are state subsidies involved with some purchases (and the national solar rebate), but hands are still thrust deep into pockets in most instances for the gear.

But perhaps many solar households in South Australia don’t need or want that recognition and are just happy knowing they’ve been doing their bit – and have been rewarded by the even cheaper electricity installing solar brings.

South Australia has traditionally had more expensive electricity prices than other states. It has lots of renewables because of this, not the other way around – and that will continue to pay dividends assuming it continues under whoever is at the helm after March 19.

Original Source: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/sa-electricity-prices-mb2345/