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Red alerts for much of UK.

broadgage

Met office red alert for extreme heat has been issued for London and for parts of the Midlands. This is the first ever met office red warning for heat.

Government red warnings for heat health alert now cover all of England. I think that this may be the first such alert, it is undoubtedly the first ever to affect all of England.

Are significant consequences expected for electricity generation and distribution ?

  • I do wonder whether the assumed ambient outside air and soil temperatures used in the UK for cable selection (either by default in BS7671, or specified in BS IEC 60287-3-1) are due a review.

    For sure 40°C mightn't happen every Summer (I hope), not all loads will be at full load for sufficient duration in Summer to be bothered, and no, things don't suddenly burst into flames 0.1K over 70/90°C... but we've exceeded 30°C quite a few times already this year, some loads (e.g. HVAC) are at max in these conditions and not everyone takes account of solar radiation either, so I do wonder if operating lives have been unduly reduced.

  • train overhead lime problems happen in  Spain too

    recent news item

    mike

  • in reply to mapj1

    Network rail seem to suggest that some of the overheads already have some form of autotensioning on more recently electrified lines (I have no idea about railways but wonder if it's to do with those stacks of concrete slabs hanging on line-ends running over pulleys at some of the stations near me) and it's the older overheads that are more affected.

  • in reply to CliveS
    CliveS said:
    Electric overhead catenary can be disconnected and diesel electric engines used instead.

    And where are these fleets of diesel electric locomotives, sitting around for 363 days a year, ready for those two days when it's too hot to run electric ones?

    Our rail network is designed to handle typical British weather.

  • there may be an element of over reacting in the UK, but also under design., but the overhead line problem for our railways is that they expand and drop, and then snag and we have seen them occasionally get ripped out by the passing  train. diesels may not solve that. More frequent tension points would, but is not quick.

    mike.

  • in reply to mapj1

    One wonders how the TGV can keep running in France without a problem.  I blame the media for being prophets of doom and exaggerating almost any small hiccup into a scary disaster.

    OK rail disruption reports.  Some optic cables were damaged by grass fires which can cause signal failures but these can be fixed in a few hours once identified.  Electric overhead catenary can be disconnected and diesel electric engines used instead. Agreed this all causes delays but is not the massive problem the BBC is broadcasting.

    Stay at home is good for some but what about the NHS and essential workers? Scare stories have an  economic cost as it causes a lost in production of the national wealth. 

    Government panic reactions can cause much distress to everyone.  Just think of the Covid panic overreaction we have just been through. .

      

  • Well, now we have a better idea, and perhaps  compared to the fires, the drownings, and the disruption to road and rail, the loss of nearly 15000 houses electricity supply is probably small beer. Sagging cables and overheating transformers apparently. Northern Powergrid map here

    N

    Mike.

  • folk buying portable aircon units and not realising they need to put the hot air out the window probably.  Buildings with air con installed finding out if it is adequately sized or not as it runs at full chat for the first time.

    I wonder how many of our cables and transformers will be running warmer than the designers expected, and if it will cause a few on the edge to fail.

    Mike.

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