UK Activates Demand Flexibility Service On Cold Snap

National Grid has ordered to activate the demand flexibility service for the first time, asking some UK households to cut energy use on Monday on freezing temperatures paired with lower wind output.

• “Our forecasts show electricity supply margins are expected to be tighter than normal on Monday evening. These are precautionary measures to maintain the buffer of spare capacity,” National Grid said.
• From Monday 5pm, customers of Centrica, EON and Octopus Energy, who have signed up for the program will be asked not to use dishwashers or washing machines during a two-hour period of peak demand.
• Maxar Technologies forecast that London will be as cold as -2C (28F) on Monday, and the sub-zero temperatures are causing demand to spike.
• Consumption is expected to peak on Monday evening at 44.7GW, up from 42.2GW on Sunday, grid data show.
• Wind output in the UK is forecast to plunge to around 4.5GW on Monday evening, according to Bloomberg energy forecasts.