What's the chances of the power outages and airport problems being cyber attacks. Is that possible. I would think so ?
Gary
Item from today's paper - MORE batteries?
Really?
National Grid will need to pay for more batteries and gas engines that can compensate for sudden drops in electricity supplies to prevent further blackouts, according to experts.
Aurora Energy Research, a consultancy, said that National Grid appeared to have had “insufficient flexible capacity” to cope with the sharp drop in supplies on Friday.
The Little Barford gas plant and Hornsea offshore wind farm both disconnected from the grid, removing 1.4 gigawatts, or about 5 per cent of supplies, shortly before 5pm. This caused a significant drop in frequency below the minimum 49.5Hz level that National Grid is required to maintain to ensure stable supplies, resulting in power cuts affecting a million homes, some train networks and a hospital. National Grid, which is responsible for keeping the lights on, is investigating the causes of the blackouts. It is understood also to be examining lightning strikes that affected the grid near Little Barford.
Aurora said that high wind generation on Friday had made the grid frequency more volatile, so “amplifying the effects of any plant trips”. This could be managed “if there is enough flexible capacity [such as] batteries” to rapidly make up the shortfall.
It is understood that National Grid procures enough flexible rapid back-up plants to cope with a 1GW drop in power and to keep frequency above 49.5Hz, and enough to protect against a 1.3GW loss and to keep frequency above 49.2Hz to avoid significant disruption.
Analysts have so far suggested that Little Barford tripped first and sent frequency below statutory levels, despite generating only about 700MW, followed by Hornsea.
However, Duncan Burt, director of operators at the Electricity System Operator, told The Times that it was reviewing the incident as a “single event” and that “any analysis that is splitting the frequency trace into two discrete trips is incorrect”.
Aurora said that significantly more flexible backup power sources will be needed as more renewables are built, further reducing inertia, and as the huge 3.2GW Hinkley Point C plant opens in 2025, which would increase the potential size of plant that could trip at any one time, Aurora said.
Item from today's paper - MORE batteries?
Really?
National Grid will need to pay for more batteries and gas engines that can compensate for sudden drops in electricity supplies to prevent further blackouts, according to experts.
Aurora Energy Research, a consultancy, said that National Grid appeared to have had “insufficient flexible capacity” to cope with the sharp drop in supplies on Friday.
The Little Barford gas plant and Hornsea offshore wind farm both disconnected from the grid, removing 1.4 gigawatts, or about 5 per cent of supplies, shortly before 5pm. This caused a significant drop in frequency below the minimum 49.5Hz level that National Grid is required to maintain to ensure stable supplies, resulting in power cuts affecting a million homes, some train networks and a hospital. National Grid, which is responsible for keeping the lights on, is investigating the causes of the blackouts. It is understood also to be examining lightning strikes that affected the grid near Little Barford.
Aurora said that high wind generation on Friday had made the grid frequency more volatile, so “amplifying the effects of any plant trips”. This could be managed “if there is enough flexible capacity [such as] batteries” to rapidly make up the shortfall.
It is understood that National Grid procures enough flexible rapid back-up plants to cope with a 1GW drop in power and to keep frequency above 49.5Hz, and enough to protect against a 1.3GW loss and to keep frequency above 49.2Hz to avoid significant disruption.
Analysts have so far suggested that Little Barford tripped first and sent frequency below statutory levels, despite generating only about 700MW, followed by Hornsea.
However, Duncan Burt, director of operators at the Electricity System Operator, told The Times that it was reviewing the incident as a “single event” and that “any analysis that is splitting the frequency trace into two discrete trips is incorrect”.
Aurora said that significantly more flexible backup power sources will be needed as more renewables are built, further reducing inertia, and as the huge 3.2GW Hinkley Point C plant opens in 2025, which would increase the potential size of plant that could trip at any one time, Aurora said.
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