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The global demand for electricity is skyrocketing…
Even first-world countries like Australia are struggling to supply reliable power sufficient to meet demand in the face of extreme weather events like heat waves and floods.
2025 may produce a perfect storm of an angry summer, ageing grid infrastructure, and decommissioning of coal plants, leading to scheduled or unscheduled power outages.
Renewable energy sources for electricity generation, such as utility-scale wind and solar power, are growing, but perhaps not fast enough to meet demand, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria.
One option available to energy suppliers and state governments to guard against extended power outages and preserve the integrity of the power grid is to schedule rolling blackouts.
Rolling blackouts are power outages scheduled in advance that reduce or eliminate electricity consumption in designated locations during specific hours of the day.
Forced power outages have occurred in Australia before, but not on a regular basis.
But in many parts of the world — like South Africa — rolling blackouts or “load-shedding” have become a way of life.
So, are rolling blackouts coming to Australia this summer or next?
Read on to find out.
Are Rolling Blackouts Happening in Australia?
As of late December 2024, forced rolling blackouts haven’t yet occurred in Australia this summer.
However, voluntary load reduction measures have already occurred due to heat waves in 2024.
According to a November NSW government press release:
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) says the peak period for power use in NSW will be between 3 pm and 8 pm, as people return home from work and school and output from the state’s large network of rooftop solar panels declines.
AEMO forecasts there could be insufficient generation available to meet the demand in NSW. As a result, steps are well underway to reduce demand and lessen the risk of load shedding leading to temporary blackouts in some areas.
AEMO and the NSW Government are activating programs that ask large government and private organisations to reduce their power use. These actions are expected to be adequate to maintain a reliable supply for NSW consumers, unless there is an unforeseen supply issue or weather conditions deteriorate.
After temperatures soared to 39.9C in Sydney in late November, Premier Chris Minns asked residents to “avoid using power-hungry devices” between the hours of 3 pm and 8 pm to “help the grid.”
While the AEMO and the government have tried to reassure consumers that blackouts aren’t inevitable this summer, many experts aren’t so sure.
Speaking to the Guardian (UK) after the November blackout near-miss, UNSW energy researcher Dr Dylan McConnell said, “It was very close. It could have gone either way.”
When asked if the National Energy Market (NEM) — the grid that powers South Australia to Tasmania and Queensland — could make it through this summer without major power outages. McConnell said, “[It’s] a toss of the coin…
“You can imagine a scenario where we don’t have extended heatwaves, and things are fine,” McConnell said. But with unexpected failures as plants age and climate change makes extreme heat more likely, “there’s a considerable risk something could go wrong.”
What Are the Causes of Rolling Blackouts?
Numerous factors cause governments and energy suppliers to schedule blackouts and load-shedding measures designed to protect the integrity of the power grid and avoid more extended outages.
The primary causes of energy insecurity and blackouts in Australia include the following.
(Source: Australia State of the Environment)
Extreme Weather and Climate Change
Not everyone is convinced that greenhouse gas emissions from human-made sources are responsible for rising global temperatures and extreme weather events.
But the fact that the world is getting hotter and disasters like bushfires, heat waves, and floods are occurring more frequently isn’t really open to debate.
According to CSIRO, “Australia, on average, has warmed by 1.51 ± 0.23 °C since national records began in 1910, with most warming occurring since 1950. Every decade since 1950 has been warmer than preceding decades. The warming in Australia is consistent with global trends.”
(Source: CSIRO)
A 1.5°C increase in average temperature may not sound like a lot, but scientists believe it’s responsible for the following heat-related events.
- Heatwaves
- More dangerous fire weather days and bushfires
- Decreased average rainfall and streamflow, potentially leading to droughts
- Increased heavy rainfall events and flood risks
Renewables and Decarbonisation
Arresting human-made climate change is a global priority.
Over the course of the 21st century, the Australian federal government has set various goals and offered incentives for decarbonising electricity generation and reducing consumption of fossil fuels like coal.
As recently as 2020, 66% of Australia’s grid-connected electricity supply came from coal plants.
(Source: Energy.gov.au)
Grid-connected renewable energy systems like utility-scale solar and wind farms now produce 39.4% of Australia’s total electricity, according to the Clean Energy Australia 2024 report.
Meanwhile, electricity generation from coal has dropped to 46%.
Australia’s abundant wind and solar resources make it one of the best countries in the world for generating electricity from clean, renewable energy sources.
However, the transition to renewables has been a bumpy road, with critics arguing that Australia’s moving too fast towards decarbonisation — or not fast enough.
No matter which side of that particular debate you’re on, it’s difficult to argue that decarbonisation measures like decommissioning fossil-fuel-burning power plants in favour of intermittent renewable energy sources have put additional strain on the electricity supply, even if it’s only a necessary short-term blip.
Ageing Power Plants and Utility Grid Infrastructure
Decarbonisation isn’t the only reason coal plants are being shuttered…
Many large facilities — like Liddell Power Station, which closed in 2023 — became increasingly unreliable and unproductive as they reached end of life.
As a sign of the times, Liddell’s owner, AGL Energy, plans to demolish the station and build a “low-carbon integrated industrial energy hub” in its place.
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien recently called coal plant shutdowns premature, labelling “the entire thing a mess”.
“You need to keep capacity, so if these weather-dependent resources aren’t working, you need to have coal and gas doing what they need to do,” O’Brien said.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen calls “coal-fired power plants ‘the biggest threat to [power grid] reliability’” but has recently signalled openness to state governments requesting delays to scheduled shutdowns if it will help secure the grid.
Meanwhile, Peter Dutton’s Coalition recently unveiled its Nuclear Plan, which it claims will make power bills 44% cheaper, the grid more reliable, and still achieve net-zero goals by 2050 by spending $331bn over 25 years to build seven nuclear power plants — despite current bans on atomic energy.
Bowen says nuclear is “a con job [and] a recipe for blackouts and unreliability.”
Many experts agree, adding that “the nuclear plan would result in cumulative emissions from the electricity grid of more than 1.6bn tonnes between 2025 and 2051.”
McConnell says modelling “shows [the nuclear policy] would be an absolute failure in decarbonising the electricity sector and meeting our emissions reduction goals.”
One thing that politicians and experts can agree on?
Australia requires more electricity generation capacity to meet demand.
But how and when we’ll get more power remains up in the air — and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
After all, utility-scale power stations take a long time to build, no matter whether they run on coal, wind, nuclear, or solar.
How to Prepare for Scheduled Power Outages and Blackouts in 2025
Utility-scale solar isn’t the only type of renewable electricity that’s reshaping Australia’s energy landscape.
Rooftop solar panels and home battery backup systems continue to drop in price and improve in performance in recent years.
Many Australian homeowners and residents are taking advantage of the country’s abundant sunlight to generate much or all of their household electricity off-grid.
Even if you’re not ready to switch to solar completely, there are many portable power stations and solar generator options that can help see you through scheduled or unscheduled blackouts.
For example, EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 solar generator comes with a 220W bifacial portable solar panel that’s easy to set up anywhere there’s sunlight.
It’s especially handy if you don’t have access to a rooftop that receives sunlight.
For example, if you’re renting a flat with a balcony, you can set the solar panel up there and run the portable power station indoors.
Unlike petrol or gas generators, portable power stations and solar generators are 100% safe and whisper quiet for indoor use.
DELTA 3 can run 99% of home appliances, but if you need to back up multiple high-wattage devices like refrigerators and air conditioners simultaneously, EcoFlow DELTA 3 Pro is a more powerful choice.
With modular expandability of up to 12 kilowatts of AC output and 36kWh of LFP battery storage, it can run almost any home for hours or days during rolling blackouts or unscheduled power outages.
Like all EcoFlow portable power stations, DELTA Pro 3 offers multiple charging options in addition to solar, including grid (AC) and 800W alternator charging so you can power up on the road.
Because EcoFlow’s off-grid power solutions are durable, compact, and built for 10+ years of everyday use, they’re also ideal for 4WD and camping use in addition to home backup.
Final Thoughts
Even if the dire predictions of rolling blackouts, load-shedding, and extended power outages for many parts of Australia this summer come true, there are steps you can take to protect your home and keep your family comfortable and safe.
EcoFlow offers a wide variety of portable power stations, solar generators, and Smart Devices, such as GLACIER portable refrigerator and WAVE 2 portable AC that can see you through almost any outage.
As the grid becomes more resilient in the coming years, a long-lasting portable power station like EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 can save you money on power bills and give you the peace of mind that comes from home energy security.
Check out our selection today!