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Press and Journal
a day ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Wind farms in north of Scotland paid £117 million to not generate power
Static wind turbines in the north of Scotland cost consumers £117 million in the first six months of this year. The electricity couldn't be used locally or sent to areas of higher demand, so wind farms were paid to stop their output. According to research from energy analytics firm Montel, the curtailed generation amounted to four terawatt-hours (TWh). That is enough to power every household in Scotland for six months. North wind farms accounted for 86% of the total of the electricity cut back across Britain – a 15% rise compared with the same time last year. The National Electricity System Operator (NESO) makes sure generators do not produce more than the local grid can manage. The costs are recovered through charges on consumers' bills. Graham Lang of campaign group Scotland Against Spin said it 'makes no sense' to build more wind farms or extend existing ones in the north of Scotland. He believes they should be built closer to where the electricity is needed. Mr Lang said: 'Ultimately, it is us, the consumers, who have to pay for this through our energy bills. 'It is an ongoing scandal and it needs to stop now before bills rise even further and our iconic landscapes are trashed for ever.' SSE Renewables is one of the partners behind the giant Seagreen development, Scotland's largest offshore wind farm. A spokesman for SSE said: 'Decisions to constrain generation rest solely with NESO – not individual companies. 'Grid constraints highlight the urgent need to accelerate investment in the electricity network, so we can unlock the full potential of the UK's clean energy and reduce bills for consumers in the long run.' True North senior energy advisor Allister Thomas said the constraint payments are a 'result of decades of underinvestment' in the grid infrastructure. In 2023, Highlands consumers were set back nearly £68m due to the curtailed energy. He believes initiatives, such as the 2030 Clean Power Action Plan, can help the government address the issue. Mr Thomas said: 'Going forward, the offshore wind resource of the north of Scotland has potential to be a driving force in decarbonising the UK as a whole. 'Providing huge economic opportunities to communities across north and north east Scotland. 'However, this requires build out of our grid and a balanced approach to the transition which protects our existing oil and gas supply chain, so it can transition over time to these burgeoning renewables opportunities.' In total, Scottish wind farms were paid not to produce 37% of all planned output in the first half of this year. And in June, 49.1% of planned output from northern Scotland wind farms was curtailed. Scottish energy secretary Gillian Martin said: 'I have been clear that the current UK energy system is not fit for purpose. 'Significant investment is required to achieve a clean power system.' NESO said it continually reviews the balance between the costs of continued constraint payments against the construction of new network infrastructure to ensure consumers get the right end of the deal. A spokesman added: 'NESO is determined to play its part in ensuring we keep the costs of balancing the electricity system as low as possible for consumers. 'Through the development of new tools and close collaboration with industry, we have saved consumers at least £1.2bn over the past two years across the costs within our control.'
South Wales Guardian
18-06-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Britain's risk of power outages this winter lowest since pre-Covid, Neso says
The National Electricity System Operator (Neso) said there is set to be enough electricity to meet demand over the colder winter months. In its early winter outlook, Neso anticipates an average operational margin – the difference between supply of electricity and demand for it – of 6.6 gigawatts (GW) from the end of October to the end of March. This is the highest expected margin since the 2019-2020 winter and is greater than the 5.2 GW forecast last year. The publicly-owned operator is tasked with ensuring that the supply of and demand for electricity always remains balanced. If supply cannot meet demand then the country risks blackouts. An increase in the margin has been driven by several factors, Neso said, including growth in electricity supply from battery storage at both a national and regional level – which enables power from renewables to be stored and then released when it is needed. It also pointed to an increase in the availability of electricity generation from gas, and from a new power cable, known as the Greenlink interconnector, connecting electricity grids between Wales and Ireland. This increased supply is expected to more than offset an expected rise in demand during peak periods. The slight uptick marks a divergence from previous years, when demand has either stayed the same or fallen, but Neso said it is too early to say what might drive that increase. Neso said it expects there to be around six minutes over the winter period where it might have to resort to special measures to keep the grid running smoothly. In most cases where demand exceeds supply for a period of time, it is managed by the grid operator without any impact on consumers. Neso stressed it was remaining 'vigilant' in its preparation for the winter amid changes in global energy markets. 'Our early view of the winter ahead shows a positive outlook with sufficient margins throughout the colder winter months,' Deborah Petterson, Neso's director of resilience and emergency management said. 'We will continue to monitor developments in global energy markets, remaining vigilant in our preparations to ensure that the resilience and reliability of the electricity network is maintained.'
North Wales Chronicle
18-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Britain's risk of power outages this winter lowest since pre-Covid, Neso says
The National Electricity System Operator (Neso) said there is set to be enough electricity to meet demand over the colder winter months. In its early winter outlook, Neso anticipates an average operational margin – the difference between supply of electricity and demand for it – of 6.6 gigawatts (GW) from the end of October to the end of March. This is the highest expected margin since the 2019-2020 winter and is greater than the 5.2 GW forecast last year. The publicly-owned operator is tasked with ensuring that the supply of and demand for electricity always remains balanced. If supply cannot meet demand then the country risks blackouts. An increase in the margin has been driven by several factors, Neso said, including growth in electricity supply from battery storage at both a national and regional level – which enables power from renewables to be stored and then released when it is needed. It also pointed to an increase in the availability of electricity generation from gas, and from a new power cable, known as the Greenlink interconnector, connecting electricity grids between Wales and Ireland. This increased supply is expected to more than offset an expected rise in demand during peak periods. The slight uptick marks a divergence from previous years, when demand has either stayed the same or fallen, but Neso said it is too early to say what might drive that increase. Neso said it expects there to be around six minutes over the winter period where it might have to resort to special measures to keep the grid running smoothly. In most cases where demand exceeds supply for a period of time, it is managed by the grid operator without any impact on consumers. Neso stressed it was remaining 'vigilant' in its preparation for the winter amid changes in global energy markets. 'Our early view of the winter ahead shows a positive outlook with sufficient margins throughout the colder winter months,' Deborah Petterson, Neso's director of resilience and emergency management said. 'We will continue to monitor developments in global energy markets, remaining vigilant in our preparations to ensure that the resilience and reliability of the electricity network is maintained.'
Leader Live
18-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Britain's risk of power outages this winter lowest since pre-Covid, Neso says
The National Electricity System Operator (Neso) said there is set to be enough electricity to meet demand over the colder winter months. In its early winter outlook, Neso anticipates an average operational margin – the difference between supply of electricity and demand for it – of 6.6 gigawatts (GW) from the end of October to the end of March. This is the highest expected margin since the 2019-2020 winter and is greater than the 5.2 GW forecast last year. The publicly-owned operator is tasked with ensuring that the supply of and demand for electricity always remains balanced. If supply cannot meet demand then the country risks blackouts. An increase in the margin has been driven by several factors, Neso said, including growth in electricity supply from battery storage at both a national and regional level – which enables power from renewables to be stored and then released when it is needed. It also pointed to an increase in the availability of electricity generation from gas, and from a new power cable, known as the Greenlink interconnector, connecting electricity grids between Wales and Ireland. This increased supply is expected to more than offset an expected rise in demand during peak periods. The slight uptick marks a divergence from previous years, when demand has either stayed the same or fallen, but Neso said it is too early to say what might drive that increase. Neso said it expects there to be around six minutes over the winter period where it might have to resort to special measures to keep the grid running smoothly. In most cases where demand exceeds supply for a period of time, it is managed by the grid operator without any impact on consumers. Neso stressed it was remaining 'vigilant' in its preparation for the winter amid changes in global energy markets. 'Our early view of the winter ahead shows a positive outlook with sufficient margins throughout the colder winter months,' Deborah Petterson, Neso's director of resilience and emergency management said. 'We will continue to monitor developments in global energy markets, remaining vigilant in our preparations to ensure that the resilience and reliability of the electricity network is maintained.'
Glasgow Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Britain's risk of power outages this winter lowest since pre-Covid, Neso says
The National Electricity System Operator (Neso) said there is set to be enough electricity to meet demand over the colder winter months. In its early winter outlook, Neso anticipates an average operational margin – the difference between supply of electricity and demand for it – of 6.6 gigawatts (GW) from the end of October to the end of March. This is the highest expected margin since the 2019-2020 winter and is greater than the 5.2 GW forecast last year. The publicly-owned operator is tasked with ensuring that the supply of and demand for electricity always remains balanced. If supply cannot meet demand then the country risks blackouts. An increase in the margin has been driven by several factors, Neso said, including growth in electricity supply from battery storage at both a national and regional level – which enables power from renewables to be stored and then released when it is needed. It also pointed to an increase in the availability of electricity generation from gas, and from a new power cable, known as the Greenlink interconnector, connecting electricity grids between Wales and Ireland. This increased supply is expected to more than offset an expected rise in demand during peak periods. The slight uptick marks a divergence from previous years, when demand has either stayed the same or fallen, but Neso said it is too early to say what might drive that increase. Neso said it expects there to be around six minutes over the winter period where it might have to resort to special measures to keep the grid running smoothly. In most cases where demand exceeds supply for a period of time, it is managed by the grid operator without any impact on consumers. Neso stressed it was remaining 'vigilant' in its preparation for the winter amid changes in global energy markets. 'Our early view of the winter ahead shows a positive outlook with sufficient margins throughout the colder winter months,' Deborah Petterson, Neso's director of resilience and emergency management said. 'We will continue to monitor developments in global energy markets, remaining vigilant in our preparations to ensure that the resilience and reliability of the electricity network is maintained.'
