Vic: Victoria s power crisis could have been averted, report

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2000
Vic: Victoria s power crisis could have been averted, report

It's been revealed that while Victorians suffered under severe electricity restrictions,
enough power was available but untapped on the national market to ease its plight.

The claim was made on the ABC's The 7.30 Report last night.

The report said there were sufficient reserves in New South Wales to prevent the Victorian
restrictions and that during the height of the restrictions earlier this week, Victoria
was actually selling electricity to New South Wales.

National authority NEMCO's Dr STEPHEN VAN DER MYER has confirmed electricity was available
on the national grid and not passed on to Victoria, but says the power was needed as a
reserve.

Victorian Premier STEVE BRACKS, who says he wasn't aware of the untapped power reserves,
says if the government had known it would have taken action.

Meanwhile, Yallourn Energy management and unions remained locked in talks last night
to resolve their dispute.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union says the claim that Victoria sold power
to New South Wales during the crisis shows that regulation of the privatised electricity
industry is an utter failure.

AAP RTV gfr/wz

KEYWORD: YALLOURN (MELBOURNE)

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