Brits warned of winter blackouts

Households are facing power cuts during the cold season, according to the national grid operator

Households in Britain could experience a series of three-hour power cuts this coming winter in the event of a cold snap and gas supply shortages, National Grid ESO warned on Thursday.

It has outlined a range of scenarios that could occur as it assesses a highly uncertain period for power supplies.

In its “base case” scenario, the operator believes there will be about 3.7 gigawatts (GW) more electricity generated than the country needs. It forecast a “sufficient operational surplus throughout winter,” although it expects tight margins from early December through to mid-January, excluding Christmas.

The network operator stressed it was “cautiously confident” that there would be enough electricity to meet the demands of businesses and consumers this winter. It said, however, that it expected gas and electricity prices to remain high through the season.

In the worst-case scenario set out by the ESO, homes all over the country could see power cuts become a stark reality. “In the unlikely event we were in this situation, it would mean that some customers could be without power for pre-defined periods during a day – generally this is assumed to be for three-hour blocks,” the grid operator warned, explaining that the possible measure would “ensure the overall security and integrity of the electricity system across Great Britain.”

National Grid has been working on a series of initiatives in an attempt to manage supply and demand this winter. The operator is ready to call into action five coal-fired power plants, which can generate up to 2GW of power. The ESO will also launch a “demand flexibility service” on November 1 that will encourage businesses and consumers to use power outside peak demand periods, including early evenings on weekdays.

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