{"id":361297,"date":"2025-01-10T15:51:26","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T14:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=361297"},"modified":"2025-01-10T15:51:29","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T14:51:29","slug":"how-close-were-we-to-blackouts-yesterday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=361297","title":{"rendered":"How Close Were We to Blackouts\u00a0Yesterday?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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

From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Paul Homewood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

h\/t Ian Magness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We came perilously close to rolling blackouts yesterday, something which I have not seen reported in the media \u2013 (correct me, I may be wrong!!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ever-alert Kathryn Porter has the full story\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is her conclusion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The reference to the Viking I\/C, by the way, is that it managed to provide 700 MW on a dipole, which was intended to be offline for maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is the Elexon chart for generation and I\/C supply during yesterday:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
https:\/\/bmrs.elexon.co.uk\/generation-by-fuel-type<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Annoyingly, they don\u2019t seem to have an option to show which fuel categories are which! But I have filtered out below everything except for Biomass, CCGT, Nuclear and Wind, in that order. (I\/Cs at 5.30pm were supplying 6.3 GW, Pumped Storage 1.7 GW, OCGT 0.9 GW and Others 3.8 GW).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Biomass and Nuclear running flat out, CCGT supplied 24.2 GW at that time. Wind ran at 2.6 GW. It needs to be pointed out that wind has often fallen to less than 1 GW in winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

This particular near miss appears to have caught the NESO by surprise, because demand turned out to be 3 GW higher than anticipated three days before. And as Kathryn points out, alarm bells are already ringing for Friday evening, when winds are forecast to be even lighter than last night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we get into this awful mess?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does not take a genius to work out why? We shut down more than 20 GW of reliable coal capacity and thought we could replace it with medieval technology that only works when the wind blows!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

We came perilously close to rolling blackouts yesterday, something which I have not seen reported in the media \u2013 (correct me, I may be wrong!!).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":361304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","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_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":[691823612,691831352,691823379,691818728],"class_list":{"0":"post-361297","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-kathryn-porter","9":"tag-neso","10":"tag-rolling-blackouts","11":"tag-wind-and-solar","13":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0Screenshot-2025-01-10-155038.png?fit=1793%2C958&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1vZn","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":376875,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=376875","url_meta":{"origin":361297,"position":0},"title":"Net Zero Watch warns of growing grid\u00a0instability","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"30\/04\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"With more than 50 million EU electricity consumers suffering blackouts yesterday, campaign group Net Zero Watch has reiterated its warning that the UK power grid is also becoming increasingly unstable.","rel":"","context":"In \"Blackouts\"","block_context":{"text":"Blackouts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackouts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0GpsP2YZW0AAVmzf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0GpsP2YZW0AAVmzf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0GpsP2YZW0AAVmzf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0GpsP2YZW0AAVmzf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0GpsP2YZW0AAVmzf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":389499,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=389499","url_meta":{"origin":361297,"position":1},"title":"Kathryn Porter On The Spanish\u00a0Blackouts","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"18\/07\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Kathryn Porter has a detailed analysis of the concise but informative\u00a0report\u00a0produced by Red El\u00e9ctrica de Espa\u00f1a (\u201cREE\u201d), the Spanish Transmission System Operator on the Spanish blackouts.","rel":"","context":"In \"Iberian grid\"","block_context":{"text":"Iberian grid","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=iberian-grid"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-30.-Apr.-2025-15_49_25.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-30.-Apr.-2025-15_49_25.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-30.-Apr.-2025-15_49_25.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-30.-Apr.-2025-15_49_25.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-30.-Apr.-2025-15_49_25.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":362692,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=362692","url_meta":{"origin":361297,"position":2},"title":"NESO Must Come\u00a0Clean","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"19\/01\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Kathryn Porter has the latest on the near blackouts last week:","rel":"","context":"In \"Blackouts\"","block_context":{"text":"Blackouts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackouts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0OC-IS_021.jpg?fit=1026%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0OC-IS_021.jpg?fit=1026%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0OC-IS_021.jpg?fit=1026%2C684&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0OC-IS_021.jpg?fit=1026%2C684&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":376852,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=376852","url_meta":{"origin":361297,"position":3},"title":"Spanish Blackouts","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"30\/04\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve all read about that power cuts in Spain and Portugal yesterday. They are a reminder of just how reliant our societies have become on electricity.","rel":"","context":"In \"France\"","block_context":{"text":"France","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=france"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0be9e27ce-8b7f-406a-9d1d-80ca390aaba8.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0be9e27ce-8b7f-406a-9d1d-80ca390aaba8.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0be9e27ce-8b7f-406a-9d1d-80ca390aaba8.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0be9e27ce-8b7f-406a-9d1d-80ca390aaba8.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0be9e27ce-8b7f-406a-9d1d-80ca390aaba8.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":434525,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=434525","url_meta":{"origin":361297,"position":4},"title":"Yet Another Reason Why Wind And Solar Electricity Generation Will Never Work To Run An Economy","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"26\/03\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"If you don\u2019t like fossil fuels \u2014 and who does? \u2014 our betters in academia and environmental NGOs have the perfect answer: we can just get our energy in the form of electricity from the wind and sun. The fuel is abundant and free for the taking. The New York\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"clean and green\"","block_context":{"text":"clean and green","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=clean-and-green"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQOlQDvL4uu5p_oOka3qjeO-3CvfPJ-rChkJwg9qk-xmOvAqVtre5pA6ZpDGA_jhuPzLUjrGxZv-LxSwtvxsu1FXSzD0exy_TDjXMpWmHH7Q12OZ3nB4J3OrTpzimxN9.jpeg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQOlQDvL4uu5p_oOka3qjeO-3CvfPJ-rChkJwg9qk-xmOvAqVtre5pA6ZpDGA_jhuPzLUjrGxZv-LxSwtvxsu1FXSzD0exy_TDjXMpWmHH7Q12OZ3nB4J3OrTpzimxN9.jpeg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQOlQDvL4uu5p_oOka3qjeO-3CvfPJ-rChkJwg9qk-xmOvAqVtre5pA6ZpDGA_jhuPzLUjrGxZv-LxSwtvxsu1FXSzD0exy_TDjXMpWmHH7Q12OZ3nB4J3OrTpzimxN9.jpeg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQOlQDvL4uu5p_oOka3qjeO-3CvfPJ-rChkJwg9qk-xmOvAqVtre5pA6ZpDGA_jhuPzLUjrGxZv-LxSwtvxsu1FXSzD0exy_TDjXMpWmHH7Q12OZ3nB4J3OrTpzimxN9.jpeg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQOlQDvL4uu5p_oOka3qjeO-3CvfPJ-rChkJwg9qk-xmOvAqVtre5pA6ZpDGA_jhuPzLUjrGxZv-LxSwtvxsu1FXSzD0exy_TDjXMpWmHH7Q12OZ3nB4J3OrTpzimxN9.jpeg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":402735,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=402735","url_meta":{"origin":361297,"position":5},"title":"SDP\u2019s Radical Energy\u00a0Policy","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"17\/09\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Telegraph reports on a bold new energy plan from the SDP \u2013 the resurrected Social Democratic Party, though well removed politically from Woy Jenkins and co!","rel":"","context":"In \"Blackouts\"","block_context":{"text":"Blackouts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackouts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=361297"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":361306,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361297\/revisions\/361306"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/361304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=361297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=361297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=361297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}