...and that’s if UK can keep lights on

BRITAIN could come close to running out of electricity this winter, experts warned yesterday.

A report by the Electricity System Operator (ESO), the body tasked with balancing the National Grid, says there could be ‘tight periods’ in December – but believes it should be able to keep the lights on.

The grid needs to make sure that it has enough generators ready to go when demand for electricity peaks. If the margin falls below certain levels, the ESO will send out an Electricity Margin Notice (EMN). This lets generators know that more electricity is needed.

The ESO said: ‘We may need to use our standard operational tools to manage these periods should they occur which, for example, may mean issuing EMNs.

‘We expect there to be sufficient available capacity to respond to these market signals to meet consumer demand.’ In the report, it notes that Britain is not as reliant on Russian gas as other countries in Europe. But ‘it is clear that the cessation of flows of gas into Europe could have knockon impacts, including very high prices’.

The ESO has worked with the Government to ensure that four coal power stations are ready to use if they need to be called on this winter – and they are working on a fifth. It is also ‘exploring options’ to incentivise energy users to reduce their use during peak times.

Russian flows of gas to Europe have been reduced since the country launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. Much of the UK’s electricity comes from gas, so any serious hit to gas supplies could impact the availability of electricity.