So you’re sat in the dark after a power cut but what do you do? Who should you be calling in the candlelight when your electricity fails? Only 20% of people know who to call in the event of a power cut, the majority turning incorrectly to their energy supplier. Northern Powergrid is raising awareness […]
Energy prices rise with blackout threats
As the threat of blackouts become more likely this winter, UK energy generators could be taking advantage of the opportunity to inflate market prices to astronomical figures. National Grid will be calling upon reserve capacity and back up power plants this winter to ensure a secure power supply for the UK. Wholesale power prices typically […]
Emergency electricity measures employed by National Grid
With increasing numbers of coal-fired power plants being shut down and an unusually low output of electricity from wind farms, National Grid were forced to take desperate measures on Wednesday. Under threat of blackouts, National Grid had to rely on large businesses to cut their electricity demand to ensure the UK would not be in […]
Demand Side Response (DSR) service for businesses from Smartest Energy
Smartest Energy is preparing to offer a Demand Side Response (DSR) service to businesses in the new year. Businesses will receive payments for reducing consumption in periods of high demand through the Capacity Market auction. They may even receive money just for taking part even if they are not called upon to cut their usage. […]
High risk of blackouts this winter
National Grid warns of potential blackouts this winter as the capacity margin hits a record low of 1.2%. Capacity margin is the average amount of extra electricity available compared to peak winter demand. Households will be expected to fund subsidies to new gas power stations to increase capacity and avoid darkness. Measures have already been […]
Corbyn’s Labour leadership win = energy renationalisation?
Jeremy Corbyn, the new Labour party leader has breathed new life into the debate over renationalisation of the energy industry. While Corbyn’s energy policies have never overtly mentioned plans for renationalisation, he has made it clear that it is his “personal wish”. He stated: “I would want the public ownership of the gas and the […]
Public ownership for the Big Six and National Grid says Corbyn
Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn has announced he wants to renationalise the big six energy companies and National Grid if he were leading a Labour government. He said: “I would want the public ownership of the gas and the National Grid. I would personally wish that the big six were under public control, or public […]
Blackout Warnings from Ofgem
With power plants being shut down left, right and centre, fears over potential blackouts increase. As the government focus on hitting new carbon targets and new environmental legislation, coal, nuclear and gas plants are being closed and dismantled with devastating effects on the UK power supply. Even with an increased push for demand-side response and […]
Renewable energy investment is the only way to hit carbon targets
National Grid have released their Future Energy Scenarios, which lists maximum deployment of renewable technologies as the only solution to meeting carbon reduction targets set by the EU. National Grid said its Gone Green pathway is “the only scenario to achieve all renewable and carbon targets on time”, supplying 34% of the UK’s electricity by […]
Potential winter blackouts as electricity supplies get tighter
Fears that blackouts could be a possibility this winter have spurred on National Grid to buy more power from generators and invest in demand-side response as electricity capacity margins are the lowest they’ve been since 2007 after several power station closures. National Grid director of market operation Cordi O’Hara explains: “It is clear that electricity […]