Big electricity consumers in Queensland cut use to avoid blackouts as NSW faces shortages

Market operator in talks with large consumers as country faces energy crisis mainly due to poorly performing coal-fired generators

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Some of Queensland's biggest consumers agreed to cut their power use on Monday to help the grid avoid blackouts, and similar requests could be made in New South Wales on Tuesday if regulators maintain forecasts for potential electricity shortfalls.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) on Monday afternoon started talks with big consumers under its Reliability and Emergency Reserve Trader (Rert) scheme to head off a gap projected at one stage to be 1,454 megawatts in Queensland at 5.30pm.