Australia's national and state ministers on Wednesday backed plans to spur investment in energy sources to supplement wind and solar, and to give the energy market operator authority to buy gas reserves needed to avert future fuel crises.
Federal and state energy ministers met on Wednesday to discuss a spike in gas and power prices due to coal supply problems and coal power plant outages which have driven up demand for gas for generation just as a cold snap boosted gas demand for heating.
"The reason we are in this crisis today is because there hasn't been enough planning about the changes that are necessary," Australia's energy minister Chris Bowen said.
