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Released April 15, 2020 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The U.K. has been warned to prepare for the possibility of blackouts as the COVID-19 virus may impact the engineering workforce responsible for maintaining the electricity grid.
The warning was issued by UK Power Networks, which owns and maintains the power supply network for the southeast and east of England, including London. Writing to "priority" customers, in particular the elderly and those with young children, the company advised people on what to do if there is a power cut. The company, which supplies power to 8.3 million homes and businesses, said people should have electric torches and warm clothes to hand, keep a power bank fully charged for using mobiles phones in emergencies and have food and medicines kept cold to preserve them longer.
Responding to The Daily Mail, a spokesperson for UK Power Networks said: "We regularly contact customers on our Priority Services Register, to ensure we meet their needs, and it's never more important than in the current circumstances. This is to ensure we continue to provide them with the best possible support. We are continuing to fix power cuts and maintain the electricity network to ensure its continued reliability. Across our networks, power supplies are 99.9 per cent reliable, and our dedicated teams are keeping the power flowing."
The news has caused some unrest, which the nation's leading power groups have set out to counter.
Nicola Shaw, U.K. executive director for National Grid, the country's leading grid operator, commented: "Millions of people rely on us every day to keep the lights on and the gas flowing, and we want to reassure everyone that we have plans in place to keep the networks working throughout the coronavirus outbreak. We have well-developed procedures in place to manage the effects of a pandemic, and National Grid Electricity System Operator has analysed the anticipated effects on electricity supply and demand of mass self-isolation of the UK's workforce."
She added: "In fact, demand across the country is expected to reduce; largely owing to a decrease in energy use from industrial consumers, which is likely to be greater than the increase in domestic demand as people stay at home. All our operational sites are secure with a wide range of resilience and security measures. Our control centres have fully operational back-up locations, and our engineers are trained across multiple roles."
David Smith, chief executive of Energy Networks Association, reassured customers that the network is operating as expected: "We have one of the most reliable electricity networks in the world, supported by stringent contingency plans and a workforce of 36,000 people. We're keeping your energy flowing during the coronavirus pandemic, and the network is operating exactly as it should."
The power scare comes as two U.K. coal-fired plants were shut down recently. The Fiddler's Ferry and Aberthaw coal-fired plants, owned by SSE and RWE, respectively, were shut down well in advance the U.K.'s ban on coal-fired power, which comes into force in 2025. There are now just four coal-fired plants left operational in the U.K. Power from coal now accounts for just over 2% of the country's power mix, a huge drop from four years ago when it supplied almost a quarter of all power.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
The warning was issued by UK Power Networks, which owns and maintains the power supply network for the southeast and east of England, including London. Writing to "priority" customers, in particular the elderly and those with young children, the company advised people on what to do if there is a power cut. The company, which supplies power to 8.3 million homes and businesses, said people should have electric torches and warm clothes to hand, keep a power bank fully charged for using mobiles phones in emergencies and have food and medicines kept cold to preserve them longer.
Responding to The Daily Mail, a spokesperson for UK Power Networks said: "We regularly contact customers on our Priority Services Register, to ensure we meet their needs, and it's never more important than in the current circumstances. This is to ensure we continue to provide them with the best possible support. We are continuing to fix power cuts and maintain the electricity network to ensure its continued reliability. Across our networks, power supplies are 99.9 per cent reliable, and our dedicated teams are keeping the power flowing."
The news has caused some unrest, which the nation's leading power groups have set out to counter.
Nicola Shaw, U.K. executive director for National Grid, the country's leading grid operator, commented: "Millions of people rely on us every day to keep the lights on and the gas flowing, and we want to reassure everyone that we have plans in place to keep the networks working throughout the coronavirus outbreak. We have well-developed procedures in place to manage the effects of a pandemic, and National Grid Electricity System Operator has analysed the anticipated effects on electricity supply and demand of mass self-isolation of the UK's workforce."
She added: "In fact, demand across the country is expected to reduce; largely owing to a decrease in energy use from industrial consumers, which is likely to be greater than the increase in domestic demand as people stay at home. All our operational sites are secure with a wide range of resilience and security measures. Our control centres have fully operational back-up locations, and our engineers are trained across multiple roles."
David Smith, chief executive of Energy Networks Association, reassured customers that the network is operating as expected: "We have one of the most reliable electricity networks in the world, supported by stringent contingency plans and a workforce of 36,000 people. We're keeping your energy flowing during the coronavirus pandemic, and the network is operating exactly as it should."
The power scare comes as two U.K. coal-fired plants were shut down recently. The Fiddler's Ferry and Aberthaw coal-fired plants, owned by SSE and RWE, respectively, were shut down well in advance the U.K.'s ban on coal-fired power, which comes into force in 2025. There are now just four coal-fired plants left operational in the U.K. Power from coal now accounts for just over 2% of the country's power mix, a huge drop from four years ago when it supplied almost a quarter of all power.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
