Thursday 16 June 2022 04:46 AM Ben Fordham loses it at the NSW energy minister Matt Kean as energy crisis ... trends now
Ben Fordham has blasted the NSW energy minister after hospitals and residents were told to limit their electricity use.
NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean urged residents to reduce their electricity usage from 5.30pm to 8pm on Wednesday night, and Sydney hospital staff were ordered to conserve power in all non-clinical settings.
'If there is an opportunity for people to reduce their energy usage, so perhaps not using the dishwasher until you go to bed, that would help,' he said.
'What we're doing is focused on making sure that we get through tonight and the next couple of days.'
During a heated interview with the 2GB host on Thursday about Australia's worsening energy crisis, Mr Kean said there was a range of factors at hand.
The NSW energy minister has been blasted as Australia faces a major energy crisis, with demand increasing in the cold weather
He said the war in Ukraine forcing prices of commodities to skyrocket, the recent cold snap increasing demand, and the power stations being 'unreliable' old bits of equipment were all to blame.
He was then questioned by Fordham if he should take responsibility for the crisis, having been the energy minister since 2019.
'I take responsibility for putting in a plan to make sure we don't have these events in the future,' he said, adding the electricity system needed to be modernised to 'keep the lights on'.
Fordham then cut in and asked the minister: 'If you're such a genius, why are we in this mess?'.
Mr Kean pointed the finger at the huge increases in the costs to generate electricity which was a reflection of the war in Ukraine.
The war-of-words continued with Fordham asking the minister to again take responsibility.
'I didn't invade Ukraine, I didn't make the generators old bits of equipment and I certainly didn't make the weather cold so I'll take responsibility for making sure we're doing everything possible to keep the lights on,' he said.
The pair earlier argued over coal plants, with Fordham saying Mr Kean was 'demonising' them and refusing to update the existing ones.
NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean was blasted by Ben Fordham who asked him 'if you're such a genius, why are we in this mess?'
The energy minister denied the claims and said he was focused on keeping the lights on and prices down.
The tense exchange comes after the national electricity market was suspended on Wednesday, as the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said it had become impossible to operate within the rules.
AEMO said in a note it had suspended the electricity spot market in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria until further notice.
It is the first suspension since the national energy market began in 1998, and gives the operator control of direction of supplies from generators to the grid along the east coast and will set power prices for all states.
'We're working very closely with the Australian Energy Market Operator to make sure that the system remains reliable,' Mr Kean told reporters.
Mr Kean said he was not aware of why the coal-fired plants
