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Keeping The Lights On...
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I wonder how many other people on this website (and in the wider UK) know just how precarious our current energy situation with regards to electricity generation?
A recent article in Private Eye may surprise many. I would include the link but it will most likely cease working soon and so I shall reproduce the short article in the first post.
A recent article in Private Eye may surprise many. I would include the link but it will most likely cease working soon and so I shall reproduce the short article in the first post.
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From Private Eye (issue 1403):
WHEN the authorities make contingency plans against predictable disasters, we all applaud their foresight. Which catastrophes they are thinking about, however, can be revealing and give cause for concern; and right now the government is working on the possibility of a five-day nationwide power blackout – putting all its breezy denials of the lights going out into perspective.
As frequently noted here, energy policy since the dreadful Energy Act 2008 has resulted in the safety margin between reliable electricity generating capacity and peak demand becoming progressively and dangerously tighter. A 20 percent margin would be considered comfortable; but this winter it will only be 1.2 percent – down from 4.1 percent last year – before the National Grid takes special short-term measures.
The grid has recently been bolstering its emergency resources with banks of diesel generators and the right to switch off industrial customers. Publicly the government always insists “the lights will stay on” – in homes and hospitals, that is. But it’s a costly, third-world way to run a grid in a supposedly advanced economy: and now we know they obviously don’t think it is guaranteed to work.
Papers seen by Private Eye indicate that the Cabinet Office and Treasury combined are planning for a scenario in which there is a five-day nationwide blackout with only small stand-by generators working. The detailed consequences they envisage include:
1. No landline telephones available to businesses or homes
2. Mobile phones with voice-only service (not data)
3. No street lights, traffic lights or public transport
4. Two-thirds of petrol stations closed
5. Shops open only sporadically and unreliably
6. ATMs unavailable, with cash running out fast
This would most probably happen in winter. It goes without saying that such a situation would also bring about ghastly accidents and loss of life, with the emergency services much constrained in their ability to cope. The implications for industry, commerce and public order are grim, too. If it’s any comfort, the German authorities – based on their own crazy energy policy – are looking at very similar scenarios.
With all this at stake, as prudent as it may be to plan for potential calamities, it would surely have been better to render the blackout scenario redundant by properly ensuring security of electricity supply. The current combination of intermittent windfarms, ageing nukes, fast-closing coal-fired power stations and mothballed gas-fired plants doesn’t do that: and privately the government knows it.
‘Old Sparky’
WHEN the authorities make contingency plans against predictable disasters, we all applaud their foresight. Which catastrophes they are thinking about, however, can be revealing and give cause for concern; and right now the government is working on the possibility of a five-day nationwide power blackout – putting all its breezy denials of the lights going out into perspective.
As frequently noted here, energy policy since the dreadful Energy Act 2008 has resulted in the safety margin between reliable electricity generating capacity and peak demand becoming progressively and dangerously tighter. A 20 percent margin would be considered comfortable; but this winter it will only be 1.2 percent – down from 4.1 percent last year – before the National Grid takes special short-term measures.
The grid has recently been bolstering its emergency resources with banks of diesel generators and the right to switch off industrial customers. Publicly the government always insists “the lights will stay on” – in homes and hospitals, that is. But it’s a costly, third-world way to run a grid in a supposedly advanced economy: and now we know they obviously don’t think it is guaranteed to work.
Papers seen by Private Eye indicate that the Cabinet Office and Treasury combined are planning for a scenario in which there is a five-day nationwide blackout with only small stand-by generators working. The detailed consequences they envisage include:
1. No landline telephones available to businesses or homes
2. Mobile phones with voice-only service (not data)
3. No street lights, traffic lights or public transport
4. Two-thirds of petrol stations closed
5. Shops open only sporadically and unreliably
6. ATMs unavailable, with cash running out fast
This would most probably happen in winter. It goes without saying that such a situation would also bring about ghastly accidents and loss of life, with the emergency services much constrained in their ability to cope. The implications for industry, commerce and public order are grim, too. If it’s any comfort, the German authorities – based on their own crazy energy policy – are looking at very similar scenarios.
With all this at stake, as prudent as it may be to plan for potential calamities, it would surely have been better to render the blackout scenario redundant by properly ensuring security of electricity supply. The current combination of intermittent windfarms, ageing nukes, fast-closing coal-fired power stations and mothballed gas-fired plants doesn’t do that: and privately the government knows it.
‘Old Sparky’
I would hope all governments create a contingency plan for massive power outages, for whatever reason, terrorist attack, simultaneous breakdowns, etc.
I would also hope that all governments plan for the amount of power being generated to be more than sufficient for peak periods. Ensuring that the contingency plan never needs to be acted upon.
I would also hope that all governments plan for the amount of power being generated to be more than sufficient for peak periods. Ensuring that the contingency plan never needs to be acted upon.
I have been warning of this for a long time. The contract for the new Hinkley Point nuclear power station is just about to be signed apparently, but it will be many years yet before it comes on line, and when it does, the electricity will cost us a fortune.
We should have started building this, and other new stations years ago. Its a ruddy disgrace that we didn't, and that is not a criticism of any particular political Party, as both Labour and the Tories have had their heads stuck in the sand for years.
We should have started building this, and other new stations years ago. Its a ruddy disgrace that we didn't, and that is not a criticism of any particular political Party, as both Labour and the Tories have had their heads stuck in the sand for years.
It will happen early evening, when people have returned to their homes and put the kettle on for a cuppa, but before industry has shutdown for the day. I'll put my wager on 17:23hrs.
A bit like pensions, don't rely on governments to help, one has to look after oneself. Buy a 2kW petrol generator to put out in the garage. Connect it into the house supply by means of a mains break before make changeover switch. Needs an electrician to do this job but about half a day's work. Can then run a few lights, control system for oil or gas heating, telly, etc.
That's my risk management strategy. Just make sure the wife knows not to put the kettle on.
A bit like pensions, don't rely on governments to help, one has to look after oneself. Buy a 2kW petrol generator to put out in the garage. Connect it into the house supply by means of a mains break before make changeover switch. Needs an electrician to do this job but about half a day's work. Can then run a few lights, control system for oil or gas heating, telly, etc.
That's my risk management strategy. Just make sure the wife knows not to put the kettle on.
I was washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant in 73. Power was out, everything pitch black. Got the torch out, thought i'll just check if it's open, doubt if it is.
Lol, it was the busiest I'd ever known it. Mountains of dishes waiting in the lamplight. Every basket in the town, who had an electric cooker descended on us. Happy days. ;-) Do you remember the sugar shortage around the same time?
Sorry for the diversion from the 'gist' of the thread.
Lol, it was the busiest I'd ever known it. Mountains of dishes waiting in the lamplight. Every basket in the town, who had an electric cooker descended on us. Happy days. ;-) Do you remember the sugar shortage around the same time?
Sorry for the diversion from the 'gist' of the thread.
I remember there were rotas printed in the paper for whether you were high, medium or low risk of a power cut.
We had only been cut off when high risk, so my brother and I went to the cinema during a low risk period.
Lo and behold it all went black and we had to be seen out by usherettes with torches.
The manager told us all to keep our tickets and they would honour them another day.
We had only been cut off when high risk, so my brother and I went to the cinema during a low risk period.
Lo and behold it all went black and we had to be seen out by usherettes with torches.
The manager told us all to keep our tickets and they would honour them another day.
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