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Weekly report 27 May–2 June

Issue date

8th June 2007

(The full report is available in PDF form below)

Overview

Spot prices for the week averaged between $60/MWh and $76/MWh in all regions. Cooler temperatures have seen increasing demand across the market.

Turnover in the energy market was $288 million. The total cost of ancillary services for the week was $720 000, or 0.25 per cent of energy market turnover.

Significant variations between actual prices and those forecast 4 and 12 hours ahead occurred in 175 or over a half all trading intervals. Demand forecasts produced 4 and 12 hours ahead varied from actual by more than 5 per cent in a fifth of all trading intervals across the market. These variations were most frequent in South Australia occurring in almost half of all trading intervals.

The Australian Energy Regulator welcomes comments on the information contained in, or the layout of, the report. Comments should be sent to Peter Adams or Mark Wilson, AER, GPO Box 922, Adelaide SA 5000 (email AERInquiry@aer.gov.au; fax (08) 8213 3414).

Price summary

Energy prices

Figure 1 sets out national demand and spot prices in each region for each trading interval. Figure 2 compares the volume weighted average price with the averages for the previous week and the same quarter last year. Figure 3 compares the weekly price volatility index on the same basis.

Figure 1  National demand and spot price all regions

Figure 1  Half–hour national demand and prices–27 May 2007

Figure 2  Volume weighted average spot price for energy market ($/MWh)

QLD
NSW
VIC
SA
TAS
Last week
76
75
71
65
60
Previous week
55
60
60
55
60
Same quarter last year
25
28
30
38
38
Financial year to date
43
47
51
53
48
% change from previous week
▲39%
▲26%
▲18%
▲20%
▼0%
% change from same quarter last year
▲208%
▲173%
▲137%
▲72%
▲60%
% change from previous year
▲35%
▲6%
▲42%
▲21%
▼21%

Figure 3  Volatility index* during peak periods

QLD
NSW
VIC
SA
TAS
Last week
0.52
0.58
0.51
0.53
0.49
Previous week
0.47
0.56
0.43
0.51
0.39
Same quarter last year
1.07
0.96
0.96
0.94
0.29

*A definition of the price volatility index is available on the AER website (www.aer.gov.au/content/index.phtml/tag/MarketSnapshotLongTermAnalysis).

Price events

The maximum spot prices for the week occurred on Wednesday evening and ranged from $139/MWh in Tasmania to $325/MWh in Queensland.

There were no low reserves forecast.

FCAS

The total cost of ancillary services on the mainland for the week was $346 000 or 0.1 per cent of turnover in the energy market.

Figure 4 summarises the volume weighted average prices and costs for the eight frequency control ancillary services across the interconnected regions.

Figure 4  Volume weighted average frequency control ancillary service prices (excluding Tasmania)

Raise
Lower
 
6
sec
60
sec
5
min
Reg
6
sec
60
sec
5
min
Reg
Last week($/MW)
1.33
0.74
1.88
4.79
0.11
0.06
0.42
1.68
Previous week ($/MW)
1.14
0.36
1.35
5.02
0.03
0.06
0.09
1.24
Last quarter ($/MW)
1.76
0.73
1.15
1.54
0.39
2.28
5
1.93
Market cost($1000s)
60
31
117
108
0
0
3
26
% of energy market
0.02%
0.01%
0.04%
0.04%
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%

The total cost of ancillary services in Tasmania for the week was $374 000 or 3 per cent of the turnover in the energy market in Tasmania. The cost for lower 5 minute services increased this week three fold, accounting for more than half of the cost for all services. Reductions at times in the capability of supply for this service led to a number of price spikes over the week.

Figure 5  Tasmanian volume weighted average frequency control ancillary service prices

Raise
Lower
 
6
sec
60
sec
5
min
Reg
6
sec
60
sec
5
min
Reg
Last week($/MW)
11.42
1.79
1.88
3.93
0
3.64
7.75
1.83
Previous week ($/MW)
6.49
1.95
2.06
4.21
0
1.34
1.94
1.36
Last quarter ($/MWh)
4.97
0.49
2.93
3
12.67
0.43
0.82
0.45
Tasmania Market cost($1000s)
15
8
10
13
0
112
207
9
% Tasmania of energy market
0.12%
0.06%
0.08%
0.11%
0.01%
0.9%
1.66%
0.07%

Figure 6 shows the daily breakdown of price for each frequency control ancillary service. It also includes the cost of services sourced locally and in Tasmania.

Figure 6  Daily frequency control ancillary service prices

Figure 6  Daily frequency control service costs–27 May 2007

Figure 7 shows the weekly participation in each of the ancillary service markets on a regional basis.

Figure 7  Regional participation in ancillary services

Figure 7  Regional participation in global frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figures 8 and 9 show 30-minute prices for each of the ancillary services.

Figure 8  Prices for raise services

Figure 8  Half–hour global prices for raise frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figure 9  Prices for lower services

Figure 9  Half–hour global prices for lower frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figures 10 and 11 show the 30-minute Tasmanian price for each of the ancillary services.

Figure 10  Tasmanian prices for raise services

Figure 10  Half–hour Tasmanian prices for raise frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figure 11  Tasmanian prices for lower services

Figure 11  Half–hour Tasmanian prices for lower frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figures 12 and 13 present both the raise and lower requirements for each service over the week.

Figure 12  Raise requirements

Figure 12  5–minute global requirement for raise frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figure 13  Lower requirements

Figure 13  5–minute global requirement for lower frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figures 14 and 15 present both the raise and lower Tasmanian requirements for each service over the week.

Figure 14  Tasmanian raise requirements

Figure 14  5–minute Tasmanian requirement for raise frequency control services–27 May 2007

Figure 15  Tasmanian lower requirements

Figure 15  5–minute Tasmanian requirement for lower frequency control services–27 May 2007

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Market analysis 20070527–20070602.pdf (1.1 MB)
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