The National Grid has published its Winter Outlook 2015/16 report, which looks ahead at the picture of supply and demand for UK gas and electricity systems over the coming winter.
The report predicts that gas supplies will be ‘comfortable’ for the Winter period but that electricity supplies will be ‘tight but manageable’.
Resiliency measures in place for electricity supplies include additional balancing services of 2.4 GW which have been contracted for the winter period to be available to manage periods of peak demand. This includes 133MW coming from businesses who have signed up for reducing demand at peak periods if called on, in return for payment. These contingency balancing services may be required to be used on occasion during the winter to prevent the risk of blackouts.
Two weeks in particular will be more marginal for electricity supply, these being the week commencing the 26th October and the week commencing 11th of January.
Read the Winter Outlook report in full.
