"Controlled" power shut down - appliances

doodling

Hi,

There are two different scenarios that will lead to power cuts and they will have different effects:

1. Gas shortage - this is likely to persist for a relatively long duration (i.e. several days) and it is likely that the rota disconnection arrangements detailed in the Electricity Supply Emergency Code (ESEC) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/995049/esec-guidance.pdf  - (from which the table previously shown is taken from) will apply.  As you will see if you look at the document, there are different levels of disconnection depending on the size of the shortage.  My view is that gas shortage is a relatively unlikely outcome if things stay broadly as they are.
2. Shortage at peak times - this would be a shortage of power at peak times (e.g. 16:00 to 19:00 on weekdays).  Such an issue is likely to persist for a period of up to 14 days in the worst case (driven by still air over Europe which frequently persists for this length of time).  The disconnection strategy in the ESEC is not really designed to cope with this scenario.  It is likely that the same approach would be adopted as in the ESEC but with the disconnections being applied to a number of load blocks over that time period in a rotating fashion over different days.  There are 18 blocks so you could imagine a scenario where for example a different group of blocks (the number of blocks to be dropped would depend on the size of the shortage) is dropped at that time with different blocks dropped each day on a rotating basis.  A lot will depend on the public reaction to the approach taken, if there is significant shifting of load to create a peak at a different time then it might be necessary to apply disconnections in other time periods as well.  This is the more likely scenario and I'm going to speculate on a 25% chance of this happening this Winter if things stay broadly as they are.

The only thing people really need to know is the load block group (letter) shown on their bill.  Everyone in the same load block will be cut off at the same time although there may be variation in the precise times between areas connected to different substations as a result of both staggering the change in the load in the grid to avoid unwanted effects and simply the practical process of switching chunks of load off.  As I note above, several load different load blocks may be cut off at once depending on the size of the shortage and it is difficult to predict in advance what groups of blocks would be cut off together.

Chrysalis

We skipping stage one then because of dizzy lizzy.

Sea_Shell

Mine says in "supply number" box "S".

Spies

What's the best idea when you have 2 tropical fish tanks? Cover with blankets and use a small USB air pump with power bank?

Spoonie_Turtle

QrizB said:

IanIanIanIanIan said:

From my DNO SP Energy Networks:
"Your Emergency Power Cut block letter is static and will not change during an emergency. It is based on where you live and how your electricity is supplied. Your Emergency Power Cuts block letter should be next to the address on the front page of your electricity bill in a square box. "

That's interesting.

Under the address on my Octopus bill it says "Postcode area alpha identifier: N" which I guess is the same thing?

Oh!  I looked on an old bill at first (Dec 2021) and it wasn't there.  Most recent bill it is.  I wondered if it was the same as the large letter in the first box of 'supply number' and it is.  We're S.

Now to go back through and see when they first put it on, out of interest.   
Edit: well that was quick.  September is when the explicit statement of "postcode area alpha indentifier" first appeared.

deano2099

Sea_Shell said:

Thanks, so if you're in the same DNO (of 14) and same "load-block" (of 18) as your family, you're all in the same boat at the same time, but if you come under a different block, you could "get out of dodge".

Depends how much you like your family! You can always go to a restaurant or pub in a different area too if being without power for a few hours is that much of an issue. Realistically I think most people will stay put. Batteries have come on leaps and bounds in the past 30 years.

pochase

Spoonie_Turtle said:

QrizB said:

IanIanIanIanIan said:

From my DNO SP Energy Networks:
"Your Emergency Power Cut block letter is static and will not change during an emergency. It is based on where you live and how your electricity is supplied. Your Emergency Power Cuts block letter should be next to the address on the front page of your electricity bill in a square box. "

That's interesting.

Under the address on my Octopus bill it says "Postcode area alpha identifier: N" which I guess is the same thing?

Oh!  I looked on an old bill at first (Dec 2021) and it wasn't there.  Most recent bill it is.  I wondered if it was the same as the large letter in the first box of 'supply number' and it is.  We're S.

Now to go back through and see when they first put it on, out of interest.   
Edit: well that was quick.  September is when the explicit statement of "postcode area alpha indentifier" first appeared.

EDF has a letter in a box next to the address. I went back two years and it was there already.

brook_heather

Sea_Shell said:

Mine says in "supply number" box "S".

No that's different - my Octopus bill shows Supply number S in the box with the meter number.  There is a separate line for Postcode area alpha identifier - Q in my case.

Sea_Shell

brook_heather said:

Sea_Shell said:

Mine says in "supply number" box "S".

No that's different - my Octopus bill shows Supply number S in the box with the meter number.  There is a separate line for Postcode area alpha identifier - Q in my case.

Thanks for that.   I've looked again (Doh!) and now I see it on a separate line.   We're J.