UK Power supplies Winter 2022/2023. Are you prepared ?

[unclebulgaria67]

Partly due to Russia invading Ukraine, there could be significant issues with power supplies over the coming Winter.

 

UK Government are looking at increasing power supplies from coal powered generator stations. But any additional power generated may not be sufficient to ensure power is available 24/7 over the Winter.

 

Ensuring security of electricity supplies for winter 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK

WWW.GOV.UK

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Letters from the BEIS Secretary of State to the National Grid Electricity System Operator and operators of coal plants.

 

UK Government are preparing for possible power outages during the Winter period, as If the UK does experience very cold periods, demand could exceed supply.

 

Are you prepared, if there is no electric or gas supply to your homes for many hours or a few days ?

 

keep an eye on this subject over the coming months, as it will be front page news as we move into Autumn.

 

[Homer67]

Great, the next crisis this broken country is limping towards.

 

How does one 'prepare for power outages'?

 

Buy a diesel generator?

[tobyjugg2]

Ministers seem to be able to supply an endless stream of hot air and methane ... shame we cant heat ourselves and cook with those

[honeybee13]

21 minutes ago, Homer67 said:

Great, the next crisis this broken country is limping towards.

 

How does one 'prepare for power outages'?

 

Buy a diesel generator?

 

I suppose it's an option if you can afford it and there is diesel available. Or solar panels if they're affordable. Or stock up your wood store... Candles, maybe.

 

Is this the government trying to hand responsibility to the individual? It beats me why they haven't invested or encouraged investment in renewables like wind power, hydro and stuff because this isn't unexpected.

[unclebulgaria67]

There are suggestions.

 

Use any barbeque outside (using wood/charcoal available) to heat food.  Do not use indoor or in enclosed spaces.

 

Purchase ready to eat foods such as tinned produce, cartons of long life milk,fruit juices, dried fruit, cereals etc

 

Have a supply of candles, torches, lanterns, supply of batteries, battery powered FM radio ( BBC radio 2 & 4 on FM may be used for any announcement on restoration of power)

 

Plenty of blankets, warm clothing.

 

For those who can afford it, generators or power storage devices for when electric is available to store up.

 

Not saying there will be power outages, but given current world situation and the power network having been close  in recent years to being shut down  or have restriction applied, the risk is as high as it has been for a very long time.

 

Personally, I will take sensible steps in ensuring I have essentials without going too far. We don't need people queuing for toilet rolls again !

 

[honeybee13]

This is a bit more than power supplies but it's interesting stuff from Andrew Marr now he can speak more freely.

 

Andrew Marr: Tory leadership race, tax cuts and the real monsters - New Statesman

WWW.NEWSTATESMAN.COM

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The climate emergency can no longer be dismissed by politicians – even if some voters don’t regard it as a priority.

 

[brassnecked]

Have camping stoves led lanterns some oil lamps and an inverter generator so we can run a couple of computers the router and lights as WFH so long as mobile signal up can use 4G, will just have to make sure have 20 litres petrol on hand for any short ish say 4 hour outages

[honeybee13]

This is probably a daft question but will butane and propane be affected by the gas shortage?

[brassnecked]

Yes supplies of the cartridges will dry up once Camping season over so am stocking up before the price doubles.  Propane for houses in upper village with no mains gas £43 for 13Kg cylinder

 

 

[stu007]

Some good suggestion but I have to air caution with these especially when it comes to Social Housing i.e. Housing Associations, Housing Trusts, Council Housing etc for the following reason.

 

The storage of Gas, Paraffin, Diesel, Petrol or the use of say portable Gas Fire, Paraffin Heater etc. in Social Housing may Breach your Tenancy as these are classed as a Fire Risk especially if you are in Flats or a Multi Storey Building so check your Tenancy Agreement and always ask advice of your Social Housing Landlord.

 

If you do consider this always ask permission of your Social Housing Landlord and get there response in writing to cover yourself.

[brassnecked]

Absolutely correct  but even some Social Homes in my area are solid fuel and propane for heating with portable heater's also, the Social Landlords involved are always monitoring the situation in those properties and are looking at solutions for heating going forward  and yes the storage of such fuels is a no no in flats/multi storey.      Any flammable fuels I have are  stored in an outbuilding away from the house,  quantity compliant with the regulations, and in properly designed metal fuel jerricans.

[tobyjugg2]

don't worry.

I'm sure Johnsons government is moving heaven and earth ... to get the £3,500 Mp's energy expenses allowance increased

.. as everyone knows you simply cant heat 3 large houses on that now without it threatening cutting into your MP's salary .. or political donations from the energy companies ..  or your 'advisory role' payments for companies you 'advise' your gov pals to use ..

 

especially as dropping the extra costs into your shell companies expenses and tax breaks are hitting the limits of even populist boundaries given the threats of investigations ..

Edited July 22, 2022 by tobyjugg2

[Ethel Street]

I stockpiled for Brexit but didn't need it. Then I stockpiled for Covid and didn't need it. Now I've got to start again!  I've only just got through the last box of tinned fish.  

[labrat]

Caravan fuel cans full check

Battery charged check

12v usb chargers fitted check

And it's usually topped up.with canned stuff

 

 

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

National Grid asks for emergency permission to pump more gas to Europe to fill storage facilities | Daily Mail Online

WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

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Wracked by a full-blown energy crisis, operators have ramped up the capacity of pipelines exporting gas from Britain to the Netherlands as Europe braces...

 

[unclebulgaria67]

London narrowly avoided post-heatwave blackout

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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The hottest UK days on record led to extreme constraints in the power system amid hiked up demand.

 

[tobyjugg2]

talking about severe drought in August now aren't they?

Just a few months after severe floods

 

... Mind you - it all averages out about right give or take a few degrees or a few million gallons of water over the whole world and over an eon or 2 eh climate science deniers

and the water and power companies are making record profits with record payments to senior staff - so they must be doing well ...

 

[brassnecked]

Engineered fear and lack of long term planning.  Its an illness endemic in governments and rapacious profit driven Utilitiy Companies called short termism.

[tobyjugg2]

Yep, as:

Despite the flood/drought boom/bust now well established and largely (as) predicted

 

* We had floods, with water companies literally adding lakes of doodoo to the overflowing rivers while paying their bosses massive bonuses for a job ell done ..

 

* Now 10 minutes later and a 'bit of warm weather' as the climate science deniers claim - and we are battering down the doors of a drought

 

* So how are they adding to that failure? - not just a hosepipe ban, but also banning farmers from watering their crops

- well they might as let them die as there's nobody to pick them anyway eh?

 

- Ready for the food shortages caused by that knock on effect?

* Yep - by breaking our agreements and international law and generating a trade war with a massive trade block just next door

 

Incompetent twats careering from one entirely predictable disaster to the next.

Edited July 26, 2022 by tobyjugg2

[unclebulgaria67]

Does the UK have large scale storage for liquefied gas ?

 

Power bill for just one month could soar to £500 in January after Russia cuts back Europe's supplies | Daily Mail Online

WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

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Wholesale gas prices surged yesterday after Vladimir Putin's regime halved supplies to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, in...

 

[honeybee13]

I'm pretty sure that at least one large facility was closed by the government and I have a feeling they said it wasn't needed because of gas coming in from Russia.

[honeybee13]

Here's an article from last year about gas storage. The Rough facility closed because HMG wouldn't pay for costly repairs. There are other issues as well.

 

‘Relying on luck’: why does the UK have such limited gas storage? | Gas | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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Analysis: Closure of huge storage plant, misplaced optimism in fracking and demise of North Sea gas have all played a part

 

...and accoding to Reuters a week ago, it's being reopened.

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/britains-centrica-awarded-gas-storage-licence-its-rough-site-2022-07-21/

 

[brassnecked]

No they have been winding down gas storage for years, when Limp Dim Ed Davey was a Minister in Coalition, he was less than stellar on the issue, this article from 2014 shows it was crucial backthen with a similar threat of Russia turning the gas off.  Don't forget Net Zero means gas must go.

 

archive.ph

ARCHIVE.PH

 

[honeybee13]

Thank you, BN. So they knew in 2014 and didn't do any forward planning?

[brassnecked]

They decided in Cameron's day that they were going all out on Claimate Change and Renewables, its all part of the UN Agenda 2030.  Klaus Schwabs musings from 2014 seem to have predicted the current situation.