Heatwave pushes Great Britain’s grid operator to call for extra electricity from power plants

Great Britain’s grid operator has released a rare summer power supply warning for Wednesday evening as the heatwave is expected to get more intense , putting pressure on the energy system. The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued an electricity margin notice late on Tuesday, asking power plant owners to provide any extra electricity, as the buffer between supply and expected demand comes under pressure. “This is due to the impact of extremely high temperatures affecting Great Britain and the continent and low wind,” a Neso spokesperson said. They added that the electricity supply was not at risk and the notice did not mean a blackout was imminent. Neso – which manages the energy systems in England, Scotland and Wales – said it needed an extra 1,900 megawatts of power-generating capacity to avoid falling short of the electricity required to power homes and businesses within its normal safety margins. The update is a notice to Britain’s electricity generators to provide any extra power they can from their plants, which could come at a significant cost to the operator. Demand for electricity is expected to climb between 7pm and 10pm on Wednesday as people turn on electric fans and air conditioning units in an attempt to keep cool amid soaring temperatures. It is more common for Neso to issue such notices during particularly cold spells in winter, when there is more demand for heating. …