Winter of blackouts feared if we can’t import electricity
BLACKOUTS remain a real possibility this winter after the National Grid came within minutes of ordering hundreds of thousands of households to switch off appliances.
The National Grid was poised to press the trigger on the Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) to cut consumption as Britain’s electricity supplies looked tight.
But it has aborted today’s order – the first time it was set to go live – as it was decided it was not now required.
Those taking part would have got a discount on their bills for turning off power-hungry ovens, dishwashers and tumble driers at certain times.
Yesterday major supplier OVO said its customers could earn up to £100 with the scheme.
It is the first line of defence if peak evening demand exceeds supply.
Although there is enough power to avert a national emergency the spectre of interruptions is real.
The National Grid’s Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) has modelled a scenario where the deepening energy crisis in Europe results in electricity not being available to import into Britain.The war in Ukraine is one part of a perfect storm that could see the lights go out.
Low temperatures and power outages across the Channel are set to pile on further pressure. More than half of France’s nuclear reactors have closed due to maintenance problems and technical issues.
ESO has urged households to have back-up power supplies and associated equipment which are “regularly checked and maintained” by a competent person.
Fintan Slye, executive director of ESO, said: “We are cautiously confident there will be adequate margins through the winter period.
“As an expert and responsible operator of Britain’s electricity system it is incumbent on us to also factor in external elements and risks beyond our control like the unprecedented turmoil and volatility in energy markets in Europe and beyond.”
Andy Willis, founder of Kona Energy, said: “The West has been beholden to despots like Vladimir Putin for decades because of our inability to heat our own homes and keep the lights on without outside assistance. Clearly, that has to change.
“Boosting our energy security is now an urgent national priority, and doing that in a clean and cost-effective manner will dominate politics for years to come.”
Britain’s network is also struggling to cope with the transfer and storage of energy from wind and other renewables. Analysis showed it cost £124million to replace lost energy with other sources in March alone. The wasted power could have lit Nottingham for a year.
THOSE of a certain age may remember the Three Day Week when, in the face of industrial strife in 1973-74, Edward Heath’s Conservative government acted to save electricity by partial outages.
Almost half a century on it’s bitter news that we’re once again facing blackouts. Today a scheme known by the National Grid as the Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) was to have begun, incentivising people to cut back on power-hungry dishwashers and tumble dryers to avoid power cuts. It now won’t happen today, but the National Grid has warned us three-hour blackouts are likely this winter.
This is a stark reminder of the ongoing energy crisis, caused by surging demand and Russia’s war on Ukraine.And while it isn’t likely to lead us back to the ’70s, when every household had candles and matches to hand, it shows us that the lights could yet be dimmed.All the more reason to keep aiming for energy security, so that we never again have to rely on unsavoury partners to keep our homes warm and cosy.