UK power demand hits long-term low

OREANDA-NEWS. August 09, 2016.  Total power demand in the UK's high-voltage transmission system fell to at least an 11-year low yesterday morning, as strong output from embedded wind generation facilities and warm summer weather conditions weighed on system demand.

Demand on the transmission network dropped to a long-term low of 18.7GW at 06:00-06:30 BST (05:00-05:30 GMT), the lowest level in transmission system operator National Grid's data, which go back to 1 April 2005.

Embedded wind farms produced 1.68GW of power during this half-hourly period, compared with a daily average of 1.03GW in 2016 so far, 751MW in August last year and 1.04GW throughout 2015. Embedded wind generation rose during the day and remained high into today, helping to keep demand around long-term lows during off-peak hours yesterday and this morning.

Nine of the lowest half-hourly periods of demand since National Grid data begin were recorded yesterday, and eight of the 18 lowest demand periods on record were this morning. Half-hourly demand in August last year averaged 29.1GW, the lowest of any month during 2015. The absolute lowest level recorded last year was on 12 July at 05:30-06:00 BST, of 19.8GW.

Demand has been gradually declining since at least 2006, when monthly average demand peaked at 46.5GW in February. Summer demand began to decline more quickly than winter demand, but recent mild winters and the increase in deployment of embedded renewable generation capacity since 2008 has helped to speed up the rate of decline. Wider energy efficiency measures, coupled with lower manufacturing output since 2008, have contributed to falling transmission system demand.

Local networks have been able to meet demand as generation embedded in local distribution networks has been rising — and is expected to continue rising — reducing the need to use power from the transmission grid.

2551779

UK transmission system demand vs embedded renewable output MW