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Availability

The total energy available to the system, allowing for planned and forced maintenance, as a percentage of total energy capacity

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Baseload power stations

Low cost power stations that operate with a high capacity factor in order to meet the majority of the electricity demand

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Capacity factor

The ratio of a plant's actual usage to its total capacity

Carbon intensity

The ratio of carbon emissions per megawatt hour of generation

Carbon intensity per MWh

Emissions of CO2 (kg), per megawatt hour sent out

CCGT

Combined cycle gas turbine

CO2

Carbon dioxide

Combined cycle generation

A combined cycle power plant is the most efficient way to generate electricity. The combined cycle unit reuses the waste heat in a heat recovery steam generator (see sequential combustion and heat recovery steam generator)

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Energy sent out

The amount of electricity sent to the grid after the energy used by the power station

Environmental incident classifications Level 1-3

An event, usually contained to the site, which has minimal environmental effects. This also includes non compliances with business systems

Environmental incident classifications Level 4-5

An event leading to material or serious environmental harm and may result in prosecution

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Forced outage rate

The proportion of a plant's capacity that is unavailable as a result of forced maintenance

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GHG

Greenhouse gases

GI

Greenhouse Intensity - emissions of greenhouse gases sent out per megawatt hour

GJ

Gigajoule

GWh

Gigawatt hour = 1 billion watt hours

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Hedge contract

A contract between two counterparties used to manage the exposure to the volatile electricity spot market

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ISO

International Standards Organisation (also known as the International Organisation for Standardisation)

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Joule

Joule (J) is a unit of energy - defined as the energy expended in one second by an electric current of one Amp flowing through a resistance of one Ohm

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kV

kiloVolt - one thousand volts

kW

kiloWatt (see watt)

kWh

kiloWatt hour = 1,000 watt hours

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Lost time injury (LTI)

A work related and/or workplace incident resulting in a fatality, permanent disability or time lost from work of one day/shift or more where the employer has direct control over preventing the occurrence

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MJ

Megajoule

MWh

megawatt hour = 1 million watt hours

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NEM

National Electricity Market

Notifiable incident

An incident resulting in a person suffering a work injury that is a serious bodily injury, including a fatality, a work caused illness or a dangerous event

NOx

Oxides of nitrogen

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Output

Dispatched generation

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PJ

PetaJoule = 1,000,000,000,000,000 (quadrillion) Joules

Planned outage factor

The proportion of a plant's capacity to achieve full load when plant is not undergoing a planned outage

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Reliability

A measure of a generator's capability to achieve full load if the plant is not on a planned outage (ie for scheduled maintenance)

Renewable Energy Certificates

A form of 'currency' created by the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and used to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the Government's mandatory renewable energy target

Reportable environmental incidents

Refers to incidents that result in a release to the environment which are notified to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a condition of license

Resource Operations Plan

A plan used to implement a Water Resource Plan in specified areas to maintain a balance between the water requirements of different users, while preserving the environmental value of the river

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Sent out generation

The amount of power exported to the electricity grid after the energy used by the power station itself

Sequential combustion

Sequential combustion is based on the simple concept of reusing heat, where the exhaust gases from the first turbine feed the combustor of the second

SOx

Oxides of sulphur

Spot market

The physical market managed by NEMMCo for the dispatch of generating units and dispatchable loads

Spot price

The half-hour average of the five-minute dispatch prices set by marginal generator

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TJ

TeraJoule = 1,000,000,000,000 (trillion) Joules

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Watt

A watt (W) is a measure of electricity. 1 watt = 1 volt x 1 amp = 1 joule/second

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Zero harm

No medical treatment injuries