Power plants are expected to receive increased payments to avert an energy shortage following the issuance of a second alert within a short span of time. The current heatwave has led to a surge in demand as households and businesses utilize air conditioning and fans to combat the heat, while decreased wind power generation has exacerbated the situation.
Another significant factor contributing to the issue is the high temperatures in Europe, preventing the UK from depending on electricity imports. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has called for power stations to boost output between 7pm and 10pm on Friday, following a similar request earlier in the week that resulted in substantial earnings for owners.
As of early Friday, gas accounted for approximately 27% of the UK’s energy supply, with solar energy closely following at 26% and wind power at 18%. NESO’s announcement, known as an electricity margin notice (EMN), highlighted a potential 446-megawatt shortfall between expected demand and supply.
NESO emphasized that the EMN was a precautionary measure to ensure a safety margin between power demand and supply and did not indicate imminent blackouts. The tight electricity system margins were attributed to the extreme temperatures affecting the UK and Europe.
Concerns were raised about power availability during the peak evening hours rather than solely due to increased demand. While the UK still relied on imports for about 13% of its energy needs, neighboring countries’ power stations experienced constraints due to heightened demand amidst the heatwave gripping western Europe.
The heatwave across Europe has led to record-breaking temperatures, prompting the temporary closure of two nuclear power stations in France to comply with safety regulations.
