For Victoria, the real peak demand reached 10,465 MW, on 14 Jan 2014, which is slightly higher than the level reached back in in the lead up to Black Saturday in January 2009.

“Solar PV’s contribution has been a lot more than just reducing peak demand by 4.6%. Its operation has meant that much higher cost generators have not had to be dispatched. As a result the wholesale power price has not risen anywhere near as high as other times when we have reached very high levels of demand. As a comparison Victoria’s previous peak demand of 10,415 MW occurred on Thursday, 29 January 2009 in the half hour period commencing 12.30 pm. The average wholesale market price during the afternoon (12.00 pm to 6.00pm) was $4,619/MWh.

Average wholesale price last Thursday afternoon in Victoria was a modest $509/MWh.”