Energy in Queensland - Electricity Market

Electricity Market

Year	Maximum capacity (MW)
1972	2,031
1975	2,073
1977	2,345
1979	3,077
1982	3,591
1983	3,614
1987	5,126
1988	4,911
2010	10,000
Source: Official Year Book of Australia

The state has a current generating capacity of 10,000 MW. The highest ever peak demand for electricity in Queensland was 8,891 MW and occurred on 18 January 2010. Queensland's resources sector creates a strong demand for electricity at mines, smelters and refineries, which are often located in regional Queensland. Two interconnectors between Queensland and New South Wales allow the state to export power south. The first was the Terranora interconnector, commissioned in 2000. The second to be commissioned was the Queensland New South Wales Interconnector (QNI) in early 2001. The QNI initially had a capacity of 300 MW. With improvements to the electricity systems at either end, the capacity has more than doubled.

In April 1985, the SEQEB dispute saw electricity workers walk off the job over stalled wage negotiations. Brisbane and South East Queensland experienced rolling blackouts and 1,000 union members lost their jobs. The electricity generation sector was deregulated in 2007 by former Premier Peter Beattie. In the same year, the Queensland Government banned the development of nuclear power facilities in Queensland.

Because there are fewer people in remote and regional Queensland electricity is subsidised by a Community Service Obligation payment made to distributors such as Energex and Ergon. The Queensland Competition Authority, acting under the Electricity Act 1994, calculates the Benchmark Retail Cost Index which is used to adjust electricity prices on an annual basis.

See also: History of electricity supply in Queensland