Coming shortage of UK generating capacity?

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 02 Mar 2018, 16:20

RenewableCandy wrote:....
Sorry, 'course they'd have a different name Stateside (if indeed they exist at all there!).

I was wtching an American program about building off grid last night and they referred to "skylights" although they didn't show a picture of one. I presume that is a similar thing although possibly not exactly the same as our concept of a Velux.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 02 Mar 2018, 17:05

Ah, I should've remembered! You're right: skylights it is!

Post by **adam2** » 04 Mar 2018, 11:42

fuzzy wrote:https://www.icis.com/resources/news/201 ... ct=english

Any help?

Yes, thanks for the link.
Weekend power prices reported to be about double the average.
Surprised that it is not even higher.
The forecast a decline in wind power, which has now occurred.

Potemkin Villager · Post by **Potemkin Villager** » 05 Mar 2018, 14:24

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ness-plant

"Roving jellyfish and seaweed have long been unwanted guests at Scotlandâ€™s last two nuclear power stations. Now the marine algae have hit again, forcing one of the plants to partially power down despite freezing temperatures pushing up demand for electricity.

During last weekâ€™s cold weather, excessive amounts of seaweed entered the cooling system of the Torness plant in East Lothian, causing one reactor to be closed on Thursday."

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 05 Mar 2018, 14:33

You would think that they would have installed an automatic scraper and screen on the inlet such as they have at the entrance to sewage treatment plants. It's not rocket science!

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 05 Mar 2018, 14:41

A few years back they had a scandal at Seabrook New Hampshire NP with the employees taking lobsters out of the seawater intake home to family and friends.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 05 Mar 2018, 14:58

Were they worried that they might be radioactive?

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 05 Mar 2018, 15:29

kenneal - lagger wrote:Were they worried that they might be radioactive?

Oh no just very tasty and harvesting them without a lobster-man's license considered stealing from the State DNR and the licensed Lobster-men. Some were in the four to five pound class and worth $40 each.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 06 Mar 2018, 17:10

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 07 Mar 2018, 01:27

RenewableCandy wrote:<quietly wonders if the lobsters cooked themselves...>

Wipe that mischievous grin off your face. They must be extracted from the "cold" water intake and carefully taken to a beach house where they meet mussels ,clams, and corn on the cob, in a large stock pot which gets progressively hotter as the humans around it drink beer and mojitos until they are bright red.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 07 Mar 2018, 12:32

vtsnowedin wrote:.....the humans around it drink beer and mojitos until they are bright red.

What? The humans or the lobsters? Or both?

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 07 Mar 2018, 13:11

kenneal - lagger wrote:
vtsnowedin wrote:.....the humans around it drink beer and mojitos until they are bright red.
What? The humans or the lobsters? Or both?

In the summer it can be both.

. Don't forget your sun block on your shoulders as you put the lobstahs in the pot.

Post by **adam2** » 30 Mar 2018, 11:52

As in previous years, we muddled through without any power cuts*
Maximum demand reached 50GW a couple of times and this was met with recourse to some very expensive use of OCGT plant.

The margin of spare capacity was no doubt rather small at times and a larger margin would be desirable in order to provide a secure supply.

By next winter, at least another 2GW of coal burning capacity is expected to close.

Unless some truly improbable series of events occurs, I expect no general concerns regarding generating capacity until next winter.
There is always the risk that two large generating units could fail AT THE SAME TIME, that would make power cuts almost inevitable, but it is a very rare event and last happened over 10 years ago.
Such events are simple bad luck and can occur at any time.

*Power cuts have of course occurred, but these have been purely local breakdowns unrelated to availability of generating capacity.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 30 Mar 2018, 12:37

Only ten years ago????? If thatâ€™s one of those 100 year events so common nowadays, weâ€™re due for another one soon.

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 30 Mar 2018, 13:30

adam2 wrote:As in previous years, we muddled through without any power cuts*
Maximum demand reached 50GW a couple of times and this was met with recourse to some very expensive use of OCGT plant.

The margin of spare capacity was no doubt rather small at times and a larger margin would be desirable in order to provide a secure supply.

By next winter, at least another 2GW of coal burning capacity is expected to close.

Unless some truly improbable series of events occurs, I expect no general concerns regarding generating capacity until next winter.
There is always the risk that two large generating units could fail AT THE SAME TIME, that would make power cuts almost inevitable, but it is a very rare event and last happened over 10 years ago.
Such events are simple bad luck and can occur at any time.

*Power cuts have of course occurred, but these have been purely local breakdowns unrelated to availability of generating capacity.

How much new generating capacity, renewable or otherwise is under construction and will be on line by next winter?