Coal plants on alert as National Grid runs another blackout prevention test

Dec 12, 2022

The National Grid is running the fifth test of its blackout prevention scheme – and is warming up two coal plants to cope with the rise in energy demand as the UK battles a spell of icy weather.

With the drop in temperatures, there is expected to be greater demand for energy this evening as the UK cranks up the heating to stay warm.

The National Grid said today is expected to see the highest amount of demand this year.

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“We have asked the two coal plants to warm, which is putting them on standby in effect, in case we need to use them this evening,” Jake Rigg, corporate affairs director for the National Grid ESO told Sky News.

But “it is not a sign the lights are going to go out, so we are really reassuring on that,” he added.

The Demand Flexibility Service (DFS), which is designed to avoid blackouts, will see households paid to use less energy in peak hours.

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This includes electric ovens, dishwashers and tumble dryers.

The scheme is the first line of defence in the event that peak evening demand exceeds supply over the coming winter.

‘Nowhere near’ blackouts

“We are nowhere near” temporary controlled blackouts, Mr Rigg said.

But he encouraged people to not use “energy-hungry” devices – such as electric vehicles – during peak times.

The DFS has been tested four times already and there could be around 12 “demonstration days” – with households earning up to £100 if they switch off energy.

Industrial and commercial businesses with larger energy usage could save multiples of this sum.

There is the potential for more savings in the event the DFS is actually needed, to help prevent blackouts.

Octopus customers paid more than £1m

Octopus Energy said customers have been paid more than £1m across four hours’ worth of ‘Saving Sessions’.

The scheme is enabled by the DFS, with over 250,000 customers taking part in the hour-long sessions.

Octopus customers lowered the energy demand on the grid during each of these peak periods by over 100MW – the same amount a gas power station can produce in an hour.

Across all four sessions, customers moved almost 450MWh of energy consumption out of peak times – enough energy to fully charge one smartphone per UK household

It will also be running another session tonight between 5 and 7pm.

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