Power stations are in line to receive increased payments to prevent an energy shortage following a second alert being issued within a short span. The ongoing 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 production has added strain. Additionally, soaring temperatures in Europe have hindered the UK’s ability to rely on electricity imports.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has urged power stations to boost their output between 7pm and 10pm on Friday to mitigate the situation. This request follows a previous call on Wednesday during the same timeframe, which reportedly resulted in a £10 million windfall for operators.
As of early Friday, gas accounted for approximately 27% of Britain’s energy supply, with solar energy closely trailing at 26% and wind power at 18%. NESO issued an electricity margin notice (EMN) late Thursday, indicating a potential 446-megawatt shortfall between anticipated demand and available supply.
NESO clarified that an EMN serves as a signal to the electricity market to ensure a greater safety margin between power demand and supply in the short term, without implying an imminent blackout threat. The organization emphasized that the EMN is a routine measure aimed at prompting market participants to make any additional generation capacity accessible.
A NESO spokesperson highlighted tight electricity margins for Friday evening due to extreme temperatures affecting the UK and Europe. The spokesperson reiterated that the EMN does not signify a risk to electricity supply.
Concerns have been raised about sourcing sufficient power during peak evening hours rather than solely escalating demand. Data from NESO revealed that the UK still relied on imports for about 13% of its energy needs on Friday, with power stations in Europe facing constraints due to increased demand in those regions.
This situation unfolds amidst a heatwave gripping western Europe, leading to record-breaking temperatures. In France, two nuclear power plants were temporarily shut down to comply with temperature restrictions.