Securing extra supplies was “a sensible precaution”, due to uncertainties about power generation this winter, it said. Free advice for food and drink manufacturers on making energy savings will be available later this month at the Food Manufacture Group’s one-hour webinar on the subject, featuring Richard Clothier, md of Wyke Farms. See the end of this article for more details.
“National Grid is opening a tender for the supplemental balancing reserve service to meet requirements for winter 2014/15,” said the organisation in a statement last week. “This is one of two services designed to provide additional reserves for the next few winters as capacity margins tighten.”
‘Capacity margins tighten’
Describing the move as “a precautionary step”, it said it wanted to secure generation plant to be held in reserve outside the market during this winter.
The National Grid warned there was “an increased level of uncertainly” about winter supplies, following fires at the Ironbridge and Ferrybridge power stations and the decision to close the power station at Barking.
Also, investigations at the nuclear power plants at Heysham and Hartlepool may reduce the availability of electricity, it added.
Cordi O’Hara, National Grid’s director of UK market operation, said: “This is a sensible precaution to take while the picture for this winter remains uncertain. At this stage, we don’t know if these reserve services will be needed, but they could provide an additional safeguard.”
Tendering for additional supplies will enable the National Grid to see what additional reserves can be provided by generators at a competitive cost, he added.
Free, one-hour online seminar
Meanwhile, the scope to make energy savings, while complying with new EU legislation requiring mandatory energy audits for some firms, will be the focus of our free, one-hour online seminar at 11am GMT on Thursday September 18. The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) requires all firms with more than 250 employees to conduct audits before December 2015.
In addition to the Wyke Farms boss, taking part in the webinar – Energy savings opportunity scheme: switching on to saving – sponsored by energy specialist JRP Solutions, will be experts from government and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
The panel includes:
• Richard Clothier, md of Wyke Farms
• Martin Adams, ESOS team leader, Energy Efficiency Deployment Office
• Steve Reeson, FDF head of climate change and energy policy
• Jes Rutter, md JRP Solutions
Reserve your free place here. Once registered, delegates can listen to the webinar at any time, any number of times, after its broadcast. There is no limit on the number of people who can register to attend the webinar.
The session will end with a questions and answers. You can put your question to our expert panel during the webinar, or in advance by emailing Michael.stones@wrbm.com.