UK Power Grid Could Face Lowest-Ever Demand this Summer, Operator Says

LONDON: According to the National Energy System Operator (NESO) on Wednesday, Britain’s power grid might see its lowest electricity demand ever this summer, thanks to renewable generation and affordable power imports from Europe ensuring a well-supplied system. In its summer forecast for April to October, NESO indicated that the electricity transmission network might have to function at its lowest historical level, falling below 13.4 gigawatts (GW) at certain times, which is even lower than in June 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns reduced electricity demand beneath typical summer levels. Summer peak demand is predicted to reach 29.7 GW.

UK power demand hits low

This year, solar energy production hit record levels in March and April, achieving 12.68 GW, surpassing the total import capacity of Britain from interconnectors with Europe. The report indicated that Britain is likely to gain from power imports from Europe this summer because of the strong availability of traditional power plants. To function effectively at low demand levels, NESO must guarantee a consistent minimum flow of electricity to keep the grid balanced. "NESO anticipates that there will be adequate supply to fulfil demand and operational reserve needs at all times this summer," the report stated.

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It stated that it possesses tools to handle the network during periods of low demand, including Negative Reserve Active Power Margin notifications, which instruct Britain's power stations to reduce output to ensure grid stability. In a separate statement, National Grid, the operator of Britain's gas network, announced that it anticipates sufficient supply to fulfil UK gas demand this summer. The majority of demand will be satisfied by supplies from UK domestic gas fields, in addition to imports from Norway and shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In its summer forecast, it projected total gas demand to reach 29 billion cubic metres (bcm) this summer, up from 28 bcm the previous summer. UK gas exports to Europe are predicted to rise as the continent approaches summer with depleted storage levels. National Gas announced that it will perform maintenance on the transmission system this summer to prepare for the upcoming winter, involving work on 900 km of pipelines and at each of the 21 gas compressor stations.