Britain’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) has issued an early outlook for the winter period, indicating confidence in the country’s supply capacity, it announced on Thursday.
According to ESO, the opening of a new power link with Denmark, along with the addition of new gas-fired power plants and more batteries to the system, has bolstered the expected amount of available power.
“Our initial assessment of the winter ahead indicates that we will have sufficient margins throughout the period,” stated Kayte O’Neill, ESO’s chief operating officer.
ESO’s base case for de-rated margin, a metric measuring excess capacity above peak electricity demand, stands at 5.6 gigawatts (GW) for winter 2024/25, representing 9.4% of capacity. This marks an increase from 4.4 GW, or 7.4% of capacity, recorded last winter.
The operator’s cautionary approach follows concerns raised in 2022, when it warned of potential three-hour planned power cuts due to insufficient gas imports amid Europe’s gas supply challenges following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Global energy markets are showing signs of stability, but uncertainties remain and therefore as a prudent system operator we remain vigilant,” O’Neill affirmed, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and collaboration with partners to ensure resilience against potential risks.
