Tea time in the dark - UK utility warns of power cuts in extreme cold

Winter threatens to get dark on the island. Households should expect blackouts of up to three hours in the late afternoon on particularly cold days in winter, warned John Pettigrew, chief executive of utility grid operator National Grid.

In principle, the supply in the country is secured, Pettigrew explained at an energy congress on Monday. But given the war in Ukraine, it is important to point out potential risks. In a worst-case scenario, parts of the country could see power and gas cuts, "probably between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. weekday evenings in January and February when it's really, really cold."

Unlike many countries on the continent, Great Britain does not purchase gas from Russia. For the gas-fired power plants, which ensure the basic supply in the country, it mainly uses gas from its own sources in the North Sea and from Norway. Added to this is LPG, which is landed at Europe's largest terminals in South Wales and Kent.

But the situation could become critical if it gets very cold, along with a lull that shuts down wind power, Pettigrew said. So far, in such situations, the UK has obtained electricity from neighboring countries such as Belgium, France and the Netherlands. However, given the energy crisis across Europe, this source could dry up next winter.

A spokeswoman for the energy supplier Octopus confirmed that consumption in private households is highest during the hours in the late afternoon. At the traditional end of the school and working day, people come home, turn on the lights and heating, put on the kettle, cook and use electronic devices at home. The network is then very quickly overloaded.

In order to get a better grip on such peaks in demand, National Grid will be the first network operator worldwide to offer private households the opportunity to participate in utilization planning starting next month. Financial incentives await those who change their usage habits and reduce consumption during peak times.

Octopus and Ovo Energy promise customers who use the new tariffs savings of around £100 (€116) in the winter months. The two providers are the first to pass on the National Grid offer to interested consumers.

Customers who opt for the model receive an indication of the situation on days with high demand, for example by text message. If they then reduce their consumption compared to their previous, longer-term usage habits, they receive a credit for this.

The focus of the model is not on saving electricity or gas, but on better utilization over the course of the day, for example in which household appliances such as the dishwasher or tumble dryer run overnight instead of in the evening at peak times when demand is much lower. On average, consumers could be credited with the model around four pounds on days when they adjust their consumption, Octopus expects.

“We have to be clear: this is a moment of historic importance. We are ushering in a new energy era, where homes will move from being passive consumers to being the driving force behind a smarter, greener and cheaper grid,” said Greg Jackson, Managing Director of Octopus Energy, at the launch of the new tariff. Ovo boss Raman Bhatia pointed out that the offer offers consumers more insight into their private energy consumption and thus shows potential savings.

At the beginning of the year, together with National Grid, Octopus tested a similar pricing model for a more even load. On average, the 200,000 participants saved 14 percent on their energy bills within the two-month period. The company also offers tariffs where electricity costs less overnight, or where the price is compared with wholesale prices every half hour.

The prerequisite for using these flexible tariffs are intelligent measuring systems or smart meters that measure the consumption of electricity and gas and report it directly to the energy supply company. The method is hardly used in Germany, but in Great Britain more than half of all households, a good 27 million, have these devices.

In the coalition dispute over the continued operation of German nuclear power plants, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that a decision will be made soon. For Green Party leader Ricarda Lang, new fuel rods are a "red line". Finance Minister Christian Lindner has now commented on the dispute over nuclear power at WELT.

Source: WELT/Michael Wüllenweber

They are likely to gain further importance in the coming months. On Monday, in a spectacular about-face, the government not only overturned the planned tax cuts, but also cut the energy package significantly. The cap on electricity and gas prices of around £2,500 a year for private households was supposed to last for two years.

Now the price guarantee ends in April, after only six months. Then the experiences would be evaluated, announced Treasury Secretary Jeremy Hunt. For the time after that, however, there should definitely be a stronger incentive to save energy - in order to further limit the risk of blackouts.

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