Britain’s National Grid Plc called on a new back-up coal-fired reserve to generate power for the first time, after the market failed to provide enough electricity during the worst supply crunch this winter.
(Bloomberg) — Britain’s National Grid Plc called on a new back-up coal-fired reserve to generate power for the first time, after the market failed to provide enough electricity during the worst supply crunch this winter.
It’s a first for the grid operator, which was asked by the government to maintain coal-fired power capacity to cope with a historic energy crisis. The reserve units were later stood down by National Grid after peak evening demand eased.
Tuesday’s conditions of low wind, high demand and a dearth of imports due to strikes by power-station workers in France left the grid struggling to maintain a safe buffer, also known as an operational margin. Wind generation has dropped to less than half its usual level, as freezing temperatures are forecast for London on Wednesday morning.
“Although it’s never positive to use coal, it’s better than having the lights go out,” Adam Bell, head of policy at consultancy Stonehaven, said by phone. “Right now, in the middle of an energy crisis, it’s a sensible thing to do.”
The grid operator called on Electricite de France SA’s two contingency units at West Burton A station in England to generate power on Tuesday to secure an adequate buffer to meet demand. Both were later disconnected from the grid but relying on them highlights the lengths National Grid had to go to to deal with a late-winter cold snap.
“Snow, ice and low temperatures are the main themes of this week’s forecast, with the UK under an arctic maritime air mass,” the Met Office’s Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said in a statement on the forecaster’s website.
The situation is “worrying” according to consultants LCP Delta. “French strikes have put pressure on their forecast available margins,” impacting the ability to source power via two cables linking Britain and France, the analyst group said.
The coal contingency program was an exercise of caution that’s costing British households almost £400 million through charges spread across energy bills. The UK is set to have just one coal plant — Uniper SE’s facility at Ratcliffe — operating from April, and even that’s expected to close in 2024.
After phasing out coal generation, the government aims to have a net zero grid by 2035. It’s a tough target that will require an accelerated build-out of renewable energy capacity while maintaining reliability.
The grid also said on Tuesday afternoon that it would no longer need households to turn down demand on Wednesday, after earlier suggesting that might be necessary. It has initiated its Demand Flexibility Service in previous tight days, paying households to turn down the use of their power to maintain a safe buffer.
–With assistance from Rachel Morison.
(Updates with coal reserve being stood down in second paragraph.)
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