Australian government wants slower switch to clean energy
A rush by Australia's state governments to switch to clean electricity sources could undermine the country's energy security, the federal government warned Thursday after an entire state lost power.
South Australia state lost power on Wednesday as it was lashed by two tornados, thunder storms and fierce winds that caused traffic chaos, stranded people in elevators and prompted police to warn residents to stay inside. Lightning struck a power plant and at least 22 transmission towers were toppled by high winds, officials said.
More than 90 percent of the state's households had power restored by Thursday, including the state capital Adelaide. But state Premier Jay Weatherill said some households in the state's rural north could be without power for days. The federal government said the blackout was caused by extreme weather, but questioned whether South Australia's heavy reliance on solar and wind-generated power made its network less resilient.
