Four Candles Please!

Loughton_Monkey

Well let's keep our fingers crossed for our fragile and recovering economy over the winter.

National Grid are pointing the finger. We're all right, Jack, but you suppliers need to get your act together otherwise we'll have to cut it off.

Loughton Monkey's Top Tips....

• Time to get the candles in before market prices triple.
• Generator, too, if you can afford it so you can continue to post on these threads while the rest of the country is forced into an 'early night'.
• Don't stow that big barbecue away in the shed or garage just yet.
• Double check those batteries in that torch.
• Any old/vulnerable people in your street? Then go and ask them now if you can borrow all those extra blankets and jumpers they use because they can't afford heating anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24433778

The risk of blackouts this winter is higher than at any time over the past six years, National Grid has said.

The operator of the UK's electricity network said the difference between the power being generated and estimated peak demand could fall to levels not seen since the winter of 2007-08.

However National Grid said it was "comfortable" with the margin.
"As long as the market responds in the way that it has done historically then we will be absolutely fine", it added.

As a result of the tight margin, National Grid said it expected to have to issue more warnings to the market to encourage energy firms to bring on extra supplies.

The number of coal-based power plants operating across the UK has fallen sharply over the past year due to the effects of EU legislation which has caused older polluting coal and oil power plants to be turned off.
........

In June, energy regulator Ofgem said that risks to security of electricity supply - the danger of the lights not being kept on - had increased due to the UK's shortage of power stations and new wind farms.

It also warned that the risk of electricity customer disconnections would "appreciably increase" albeit from near-zero levels.

chewmylegoff

Were there many blackouts in that fateful winter of 2007/8. I don't remember any but then I did spend much of that winter in Australia (which is a better top tip for keeping warm than any of Loughton Monkey's if you ask me).

michaels

Half the gas stations have been switched off as renewables make them uneconomic...isn't this the problem everyone has been saying about renewables since day one - you still need just as much non-renewable capacity for the days the wind doesn't blow / sun doesn't shine?

Thrugelmir

Didcot A was switched off earlier this year after 43 years of generating power.

Loughton_Monkey

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Were there many blackouts in that fateful winter of 2007/8. I don't remember any but then I did spend much of that winter in Australia (which is a better top tip for keeping warm than any of Loughton Monkey's if you ask me).

Sounds a great idea, but has a slight flaw.

If we get major long-term freeze with a power cut, off goes your gas boiler, off goes your pilot light, and you will return to an inside swimming pool.

In any case, I would prefer Bali.

chewmylegoff

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

Sounds a great idea, but has a slight flaw.

If we get major long-term freeze with a power cut, off goes your gas boiler, off goes your pilot light, and you will return to an inside swimming pool.

In any case, I would prefer Bali.

As it happens something similar did happen as the the roof did actually collapse in our flat whilst we were in Australia as the lot above left a tap running or something. As we rent we just moved out when we got back. (I read on this forum that landlords have to replace the roof of their rental properties every six months - sounds like a terrible bore).

vivatifosi

My house has electric heating. Providing they still produce stored heat overnight should be ok. Remember this concern in 2008, little happened, but we did have a couple of brownouts. Have had one blackout but due to fire at sub station. Worst thing was that the hard wired fire alarm beeps to tell you that has happened. Not great at 3am.

MacMickster

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Didcot A was switched off earlier this year after 43 years of generating power.

Don't worry, we hope to be signing a contract with the French "within weeks, not months" to build a new nuclear power station. It should be online and producing power by......

Sorry, didn't have time to finish this post. I'm off to stock up on candles.

StevieJ

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Were there many blackouts in that fateful winter of 2007/8. I don't remember any but then I did spend much of that winter in Australia (which is a better top tip for keeping warm than any of Loughton Monkey's if you ask me).

Not enough I think, most people quite enjoyed them.

kabayiri

michaels wrote: »

Half the gas stations have been switched off as renewables make them uneconomic...isn't this the problem everyone has been saying about renewables since day one - you still need just as much non-renewable capacity for the days the wind doesn't blow / sun doesn't shine?

A year ago BIL (in the generation industry) was telling me of the upcoming problem. It isn't exactly news to those involved.

There are cases of plants which have come on stream as recently as 2010 struggling to make a profit. When you consider the upfront investment required, it is little wonder generators are nervy of making serious commitments. From their POV they need some level of guarantee on the wholesale price.

Add to this the need to decomission coal stations by 2015. To bring in a new gas fired station requires a lead time of 18 months minimum. Summer 2013 was always going to be a point requiring decisions to be made.

We can't really blame private generators acting in self interest can we?

DominicJ_2

People like Booker and North have done a lot of work on the STOR capacity.
Fantastically expensive, but more than enough diesel generators sat in warehouses to keep the lights on.