Households paid the equivalent of £2 million an hour to gas power stations today after low winds and freezing temperatures left electricity grid bosses scrambling to keep the lights on. The Telegraph has more.
As freezing weather swept into the South East, the National Energy System Operator (Neso) warned that it expected power supplies to become particularly tight between 4pm and 7pm.
The crunch forced grid operators to pay huge sums to gas power plant owners to keep them running. The cost will ultimately be borne by households and businesses through their bills.
At one stage, they agreed to pay the Rye House power station, in Hertfordshire, the equivalent of £1.8 million per hour, transparency data show.
Three gas-fired units in Connah’s Quay, North Wales, were also paid a combined £2 million per hour.
Neso declined to comment on the payments.
It comes as cold weather is expected to spark increased electricity consumption as more people stay indoors, watch television and use their gas or electric heating.
At the same time, a sharp drop in wind power and low availability of power interconnectors with Europe is also putting more pressure on the grid.
Worth reading in full.
Meanwhile, Net Zero Watch reports that renewables subsidies hit new highs in 2024. The previous record of £2.3 billion in payments under the Contracts for Difference scheme was set in 2020. 2024’s total has surpassed that and is likely to hit £2.4 billion when all the data are in.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.