The UK government has asked the country's grid operator to examine the possibility of extending the use of coal-fired power plants to next winter in case of an emergency, National Grid's Electricity System Operator said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th March, 2023) The UK government has asked the country's grid operator to examine the possibility of extending the use of coal-fired power plants to next winter in case of an emergency, National Grid's Electricity System Operator said on Wednesday.
"At our Operational Transparency Forum this morning we have confirmed receipt of a letter from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero requesting that we explore the procurement of winter contingency contracts, for additional non gas-fired capacity over the 2023/2024 winter, that would otherwise not have been available," the grid operator said in a comment disseminated by British media.
The UK authorities have reportedly asked the grid to explore the possible extension of contracts with French energy company EDF and British DRAX, which ensured the operation of coal-fired plants this winter.
Coal-fired power plants were supposed to shut down last year in line with the UK's ambition of achieving climate neutrality, but, amid the conflict in Ukraine and problems with gas supplies, London decided to postpone their decommissioning.
