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Britain warns of power supply strain during record summer heatwave
The grid operator said Britain faces a supply shortfall of about 1.2 gigawatts at peak evening demand on Thursday.
Britain’s energy grid operator has warned that extreme temperatures from this week’s heatwave could push the country’s electricity system into tight supply during Thursday night peak demand, as households ramp up cooling usage.
According to OilPrice, the National Energy System Operator, Neso, issued a rare overnight notice asking energy companies to make additional generation or flexibility available to meet demand from cooling devices, during what it described as Britain’s third heatwave of the summer.
OilPrice reports that Neso said forecasts indicate tight electricity margins during Thursday’s peak period, pointing to extreme temperatures across Europe that are reducing the availability of some generation.
The warning also comes after June’s heatwave forced the group to call for more power, when temperatures reached a record 37.7C, and it marks a shift from the grid’s traditional winter pressure pattern toward summer cooling demand.