Lights Could Be Dimmed In UK Households For Winter 2015

UK blackouts

The lights in UK homes could be dimmed during the winter of 2015-16, Ofgem reports. Spare power capacity is predicted to take a tumble, with the energy watchdog affirming that there is an “outside chance” that National Grid would need to reduce voltage for customers.

Bill payers could see their lights automatically dimmed at intervals for a total of nine hours according to Ofgem, which unveiled electricity capacity estimates for the next two winters. As the regulator struggles to meet the pressures of supply and demand, new power stations are due to enter the network from 2016.

The news comes after the announcement of the Capacity Market design from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, which promised to keep lights on by driving new investment in gas and demand side capacity. This initiative promised to recruit power stations to deliver energy when needed and minimise the cost to customers.

Government response

The Government has responded with plans to implement a long-term solution, which will see households pay around £13 per year to keep their lights on. Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: “We have defused the ticking time bomb of electricity supply risks that we inherited.”

The money will go to power stations to guarantee their availability for maintaining power from 2018-19. A payment of £11 may also be put in place to prevent power price spikes.

Risk of blackouts

A poster from 1940s setting regulations for bicycle riders during WWI blackouts

Ofgem has played down claims that the low power capacity could result in a blackout, with a proposed emergency measure paying factories and businesses to switch off if needed. Ofgem said the risk of factories and eventually customers seeing their power cut off has been reduced from a 1-in-4 chance a year ago to a 1-in-31 chance for next winter.

Ofgem’s senior partner for markets commented: “Domestic customers aren’t likely to see the impact of that at all on their homes – there may be a slightly dimming of their lights but nothing dramatic at all.”

Government-appointed experts have since accused National Grid of exaggerating the risk of blackouts. The panel raised concerns that the billions of pounds spent on subsidies could be wasted. The payments to keep power stations on standby could last up to 15 years from 2018.

Factories and business customers will bear the brunt of any disruptions to supply, with many already hitting back at the ‘Big Six’ energy companies. First Utility, Britain’s biggest independent energy company, took on 100,000 new customers last year after widespread dissatisfaction with ‘greedy’ suppliers British Gas, EDF, Eon. Npower, Scottish Power and SSE.

Public wellbeing

Concerns about public health have even been raised, with some commenting that the proposed dimming of the lights could exacerbate Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The condition affects around 2m people in the UK every winter and is caused by the reduced levels of sunlight and low intensity of sunlight that comes with the season.

Dr Peter Mills, founder of Glasslyn Health Solutions, commenting: “The proposed dimming of domestic lighting could potentially have a dramatic effect on the mood of a large proportion of the population.”

Writer Sam Travers blogs regularly about the state of the energy sector and is an eco warrior of sorts. He works for a green charity and posts regular updates with the aim of helping people to save money and the planet.

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