Renewable energy link between Scotland and Wales starts work
National Grid has confirmed electricity has started to flow through a cable taking renewable energy from Scotland to England and Wales.
national grid
Shetland to go on grid at expense of power station
Shetland will be connected to the National Grid for the first time in five years, but at the expense of island jobs at the power station.
ABB wins £230m deal to integrate UK, France electricity grids
Engineering consultancy ABB has clinched a £230million deal to supply technology that will help connect the French and UK electricity networks.
Lake District set for electricity pylon cull
National Grid has unveiled plans to remove electricity pylons from the Lake District as part of a £2.8 billion power connection project.
Extra coal eases UK winter electricity squeeze
The squeeze on electricity supplies is less severe than expected this winter due to more coal power on the system, a report from National Grid shows. The company’s winter outlook report said the gap between total electricity generating capacity and peak demand could fall to 1.1% at the height of a cold spell, but action to ensure supplies would mean the margin was at 6.6%. The situation is better than predicted in July, when the margin looked set to fall to 0.1% without action, and to 5.5% with measures such as keeping power stations in reserve that would otherwise be closed or mothballed. A final report on the winter outlook said the improved margin was down to Eggborough coal fired power plant, which will run one of its unit in the wholesale electricity market, keeping an extra 430 megawatts (MW) of capacity online. In addition an outage in an “interconnector” - cables which supply electricity between the UK and other countries - to Ireland means less power will be exported to Ireland this winter. As a result, the electricity margin will be “tight but manageable” this winter. The measures National Grid is taking to ensure supplies only involve paying to ensure extra power is available and do not include payments to reduce demand, for example by getting large users to turn down consumption at times. The figures come after environmental campaigners called for a major drive to switch to highly efficient LED lighting in homes, street lights and offices, which they said would reduce peak winter demand and curb fears about blackouts. Research by energy analyst Chris Goodall and backed by Greenpeace suggested that a total switch-over to LED light bulbs in homes could reduce peak demand by 5%, or 2.7GW. Changing street lights over to the new technology would save a further 0.5GW, while offices and other commercial buildings moving to LEDs could save a further 4.5GW, the research suggests. Power margins in winter have tightened in recent years, as coal fired power stations close, and the Government has pledged to phase out all polluting coal plants by 2025, as long as new gas power can be built to fill the gap. Over the last six months, solar power has outperformed coal, but cannot be relied on to help meet demand in the depths of winter. Wind turbines tend to generate more power in winter but can be intermittent.
Servelec wins National Grid contract
The energy division of Servelec Group has been handed a deal to provide a range of services on the National Grid’s gas transmission system.
National Grid boss to start retirement with £11,000 a week pension
Retired National Grid boss Steve Holliday will start retirement with a £11,000 a week pension.
Customer bills to increase, as National Grid overhauls infrastructure
Energy customers will see their bills increase over the next three years, as the National Grid pumps $3billlion in to modernize infrastructure.
National Grid chief hails ‘smart energy revolution’
The new head of the National Grid has said a “smart energy revolution” will help Britain avoid blackouts.
Ofgem plans to cut National Grid budget by £185m
Energy regulator Ofgem has put forward plans to slash National Grid’s budget by £185.4million.
Australia blocks power grid sale to Chinese investors
Australia made a preliminary decision to reject bids for its Ausgrid electricity network from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing and State Grid Corp. of China amid growing opposition to selling infrastructure assets to overseas investors.
National Grid warns more costs for electricity as renewables technologies sector grows
The cost of managing Britain's electricity supplies could double to £2billion a year within five years, according to reports.
MeyGen tidal project is connected to National Grid
The MeyGen tidal power project in the Pentland Firth has reached a technical milestone with its connection to a major power distribution network.
UK’s National Grid should be split up, parliamentary committee says
National Grid should lose its role of managing the nation’s power network and be replaced by an independent operator.
National Grid earnings get power boost from French electricity
National Grid said annual profits have been boosted as Britain imported cheaper energy from France.
Power generated from coal “dropped to zero several times”
The amount of electricity generated from coal in the UK has fallen to zero several times in the past week, grid data shows.
DONG Energy sells Danish grid business
Denmark's DONG Energy has sold its gas distribution grid to state owned Energinet.dk for DK2.3billion as it moves towards flotation.
National grid to pay charity £3million after missing gas escape repair targets
National Grid has agreed to pay £3 million to a fuel poverty charity after failing to meet gas network repair targets, Ofgem said.
SSE paid to shutoff windfarm
An energy giant was paid nearly £600,000 in less than a month - to turn off its windfarm and not produce any electricity.
DNV GL conducts largest ever controlled release of CO2 from underwater pipeline
DNV GL is conducting the oil and gas industry’s largest ever controlled release of carbon dioxide from an underwater pipeline at its full-scale Spadeadam Testing and Research Centre, located in Cumbria, UK.
New gas plants imperative as Rudd signals end of coal power stations
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd is to signal the end of polluting coal-fired power stations in the UK - but will say it is “imperative” new gas plants are built.
MPs quiz National Grid bosses over supply security this winter
MPs are to question National Grid bosses over the security of the UK’s power supplies amid concerns about keeping the lights on this winter.
National Grid starts sales process for UK gas grid stake
National Grid Plc, the operator of UK’s electricity and natural gas networks, started a process for the potential sale of a majority stake in its domestic gas distribution business.
National Grid issues notice to energy industry for more generation
National Grid has issued a notice to the energy industry asking for more generation to be brought on to the system following “multiple plant breakdowns”. The power firm said the move was not an indication that there was an immediate risk of blackouts, but it is the first time such a notice has been issued for three years.
National Grid counters fears of winter blackout
National Grid has moved to counter fears of blackouts this winter by insisting that electricity margins are “manageable”.