{"id":265056,"date":"2023-07-02T21:05:34","date_gmt":"2023-07-02T19:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=265056"},"modified":"2023-07-02T21:05:37","modified_gmt":"2023-07-02T19:05:37","slug":"the-dimming-of-coal-the-uks-emergency-power-reserves-in-peril","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=265056","title":{"rendered":"The Dimming of Coal: The UK\u2019s Emergency Power Reserves in Peril"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This winter, Britain faces a complex energy challenge. The country\u2019s remaining coal power plants, operated by Drax and EDF, are set to close, leaving the UK without its traditional backup energy reserves during the coldest months of the year. As per the National Grid\u2019s statement, discussions with Drax and EDF have concluded. Both companies confirmed that their sites \u2013 West Burton A in Nottinghamshire and two units at Drax\u2019s plant in Selby, Yorkshire \u2013 would no longer be available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These plants served as vital last-resort energy providers during the previous winter, stepping in when the primary gas and renewable energy supplies ran low. However, the confirmed closure of these coal units implies that the Grid will no longer be able to keep this crucial contingency in reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Kathryn Porter, an energy analyst at consultancy Watt Logic, warns, the closure of these two coal power plants means that<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201celectricity supplies this winter would be less secure\u201dhttps:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/business\/2023\/06\/28\/britain-left-without-emergency-coal-reserves-winter\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The National Grid had previously depended on these plants as backup facilities, especially during periods of system stress. The total backup capacity they offered was substantial, providing approximately 2.4 gigawatts when required. Last winter, these units were warmed up seven times and pressed into action once, costing the Grid (and ultimately bill-payers) about \u00a3400m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another coal power station, Uniper\u2019s Ratcliffe-on-Soar, will remain operational but only on a commercial basis, hence, not available as a contingency. The Grid also relied on this plant to boost supplies during the summer heat, exemplifying its importance in maintaining a steady energy supply during peak demand times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the future, coal power generation will be phased out completely by October 1, 2024, primarily by making it \u201cuneconomical\u201d to generate any more. This is a reckless step in the mania of transitioning away from fossil fuels and nuclear power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as we are shoved closer to this coal-free future, the immediate repercussions cannot be overlooked. The impending closure of these coal units casts a long shadow of uncertainty over Britain\u2019s energy stability this winter. Our primary concern should be to ensure an uninterrupted power supply, especially during the most challenging periods of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This situation calls for urgent consideration of backup solutions to maintain energy security. It is crucial to ensure that the bridge between the past and future remains stable, and energy supply continues uninterrupted. The aim of any energy policy should be to provide reliable and affordable power for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HT\/CW<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

However, as we are shoved closer to this coal-free future, the immediate repercussions cannot be overlooked. The impending closure of these coal units casts a long shadow of uncertainty over Britain\u2019s energy stability this winter. Our primary concern should be to ensure an uninterrupted power supply, especially during the most challenging periods of the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":265059,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818902,691820693,691818247],"class_list":["post-265056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-britain","tag-coal-power-plants","tag-national-grid","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0Large-Scale-Energy-Storage-scaled-1.webp?fit=2560%2C1440&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-16X6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":241249,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=241249","url_meta":{"origin":265056,"position":0},"title":"UK Coal Plants Fired Up AGAIN as Renewable Energy Output Fails","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/24\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Who thinks Britain is ready to decommission its remaining coal assets?","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1031.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1031.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1031.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1031.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":264599,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=264599","url_meta":{"origin":265056,"position":1},"title":"Britain to be Left Without Emergency Coal Reserves This Winter","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/29\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Britain is to be left without backup coal power plants this winter after the energy companies Drax and EDF confirmed plans to close their remaining stations, despite the backup being needed last winter. 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