The National Grid has placed two coal units on standby as temperatures fluctuate to ensure that the UK will not ne enveloped in darkness during the winter, as reported by express.co.uk. However, the company said that for now, the energy must still be used "as normal."
(Photo : by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 19: Insulators on an electricity sub station are seen near homes on October 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. The British utility company, National Grid, have said that UK households may face power cuts this winter for up to three hours at a time, if gas supplies run low.
Two of the reserve coal-fired power stations have been given notice as the network will encounter a huge surge in demand amid the cold weather that will last until the end of the week.
Not a Cause for Concern
The National Grid reassures residents that this shouldn't be a cause of alarm for homeowners as the emergency plan will aim to give the public confidence in Monday's energy supply. In addition, most people will likely work from home, and schools will close due to the snow-logged roads.
This also doesn't mean that the coal-fire-powered stations will be put to use. Instead, they will be ready to produce energy at a moment's notice should the Grid request it. The National Grid is also encouraging residents to use energy as normal.
It is known that coal-powered plants generate the dirtiest fossil fuel. However, there may be a need for it at this time as the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) delayed the closure of the Drax power plan until after the winter to secure the energy supply.
The National Grid also said that only the Yorkshire plant would be used as a last result. However, it seems like there is no indication that the temperature will rise to average sometime soon, which means that there is a huge possibility that the coal-powered plants will be put to use to ensure energy supply is dispersed equally with no problems to homeowners.
In addition, the company already had outlined its contingency plan for winter regarding the chances of implementing organized blackouts during the coldest months in 2023. For one, during January and February, pre-planned outages may be implemented in specific parts of the country as part of a worst-case scenario plan.
The worst-case scenario would also occur if the country didn't secure enough energy imports from Europe this winter. Bosses continue to reassure that the situation is unlikely, but France has already been experiencing fluctuating nuclear power output due to aging reactors.
Also read: UK Electricity Crisis: Why the National Grid Wants Wind Farms Turned Off Amidst Need For Energy
The Effects of Cold Months on The Power Supply
The cold months in the UK are usually times when energy consumption is the highest for a number of reasons. Firstly, not only does the weather dictate that people should be kept inside, but it is also the time when most families will turn up their heating.
Interestingly, the cold winter months are also when the energy market reaches its most competitive. It is a great time for the energy market for many reasons. Firstly, energy is usually cheaper as the global market is oversupplied with natural gas. Secondly, it is the time when most people use more fuel to keep warm.
Related article: UK Households May Face Three-Hour Blackouts in Winter, Says National Grid
