What are blackouts and why might they happen this winter?
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The National Grid is poised to announce an emergency blackout-preventing plan for tomorrow evening that would see householders paid to reduce their energy usage. The Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) has said that — as a result of pressure on the French energy grid — it is considering starting up the so-called Demand Flexibility Service for the first time tomorrow evening, with a final decision expected at 2.30pm today. The scheme would see the public encouraged to take a variety of energy saving measures — such as, for example, lowering the heating and turning off appliances — at peak times. Televisions could also end up being switched off to save power — with the introduction of the scheme awkwardly coinciding with England facing off against Wales in the FIFA World Cup.
A spokesperson for the National Grid ESO told LADBible: “What has happened is that the ESO has issued an indicative notice on BMRS to alert demand flexibility service providers that we may issue a requirement at 2:30pm for the use of DFS tomorrow night.
“We’re still assessing what requirement we might need, so it’s still possible that we will issue a requirement for 0MW at 2:30pm that will stand down the use of the DFS tomorrow night.”
The cause of the presently-project shortfall, according to energy insight firm EnAppSys, is the “slow return of [nuclear power] in France and lower temperatures”. This, they explained, “may mean there is a reduction in available imports across the interconnectors.
On the topic of energy security this winter, Downing Street has previously said: “While we are preparing for all eventualities, we are confident that we will continue to have good provision throughout the winter months.
“We do have quite a diverse energy provision. Offshore wind continues to provide a huge amount of our energy, particularly during the winter months.”
BREAKING — MORE TO FOLLOW
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