UK power networks ‘struggling’ with demand, infrastructure chief warns
T
he UK’s electrical energy grid continues to be “struggling” with capability points, the nation’s infrastructure chief has warned.
Sir John Armitt, chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, stated the difficulty was a proving a problem for the constructing of latest homes and the rollout of electrical automobile (EV) charging factors.
Last yr, the development of latest housing in elements of west London was put in danger by “electricity capacity restrictions”, although a solution was found with National Grid and others to allow “smaller demand” developments to go forward.
At a City Hall assembly on Thursday nonetheless, Sir John warned that the issue was nonetheless blighting a number of tasks throughout the UK.
He informed members of the London Assembly that electrical energy distribution was “ a key challenge” prone to worsen, as “electric vehicles and heat pumps will place unprecedented demands on the system”.
Sir John stated: “I know from my own experience with other organisations that the distribution networks, not only in London, but in many places across the country, are struggling, already, to meet the extra demand.
“Whether that is extra demand as a consequence of significant housing developments – Nine Elms [the development around Battersea Power Station] I think was a classic example, where they were well into construction and still didn’t have the amount of the electricity that was going to be necessary to power that development.
“And we know that it’s a challenge for those who are trying to lay down EV charge points, where they would wish to get on with doing it, but cannot get on with doing it, because they’ve got to wait for the energy companies to provide them with the electricity.”
Sir John stated one of many constraints confronted by National Grid was the issue in receiving planning permission for a lot of the infrastructure wanted to extend capability in the long run – such because the onshore parts of offshore wind farms.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has been approached for remark.