Energy Minister Chris Bowen has identified coal-fired power stations as the “biggest threat to reliability” in Australia’s electricity grid, following a near-capacity strain on the New South Wales system on Wednesday.
Bowen emphasised that renewable energy — bolstered by battery storage and gas peaking — was crucial to ensuring a dependable electricity supply.
“The least reliable part of our energy grid at the moment is coal-fired power,” Bowen said to Sky News.
“That’s just a statement of fact. There hasn’t been a day in the last 18 months when we haven’t had a breakdown in a coal-fired power station.”
The Minister credited battery storage as instrumental in stabilising NSW’s electricity network during the crisis, underscoring the technology’s growing importance.
“What the chief executive of AEMO told me yesterday was that batteries were essential for getting New South Wales through yesterday, that batteries played a very big role.”
Bowen highlighted upcoming developments, including the Waratah battery, which is set to come online within the next year.
“They’re coming on over the next year or so, but of course, that means we’ve got to keep our foot on the accelerator and keep the task,” he said, reiterating the government’s commitment to renewable energy and storage solutions.
The remarks come as Australia navigates its energy transition, with coal reliability under scrutiny amid increasing reliance on renewable energy and battery integration.