Australia’s plunge into energy crisis offers stark reminder for other governments

Eastern Australia is experiencing a severe power crisis, which is largely the result of poor government planning, and serves as a reminder to other nations of the dire consequences that stem from failing to develop a pragmatic energy policy.

In June, fears escalated over increasing electricity shortages as Australia’s eastern states battled a power crunch. Faced with disruptions to coal supplies, combined with planned and un-planned outages at coal-fired power plants, the country’s energy market operator was forced to take unprecedented measures to control both electricity prices and energy supplies in an effort to maintain steady electricity flows.