Wind and solar collapses in SA and VIC on 24 and 25 January sent power prices into orbit, as conventional generators cashed in on the chaos. As wind and solar power output hit the floor, the spot price of power hit $14,500 per MWh. The additional cost to power consumers was in excess of $1,100,000,000 – for the owners of fast-start peaking plants (OCGTs and diesel generators) – money for jam.

For peaking power operators, the inevitable and total collapses in wind power output is where the greatest rort of all time begins.

You see, it’s not really about the costs of running OCGTs (or diesel engined generators) this is all about what the operator can get away with.

The pattern was set up by the energy market whizzkids from Enron – back in the days when it raped and pillaged the Californian power market, using much the same…