GB power system operator cancels generation margin warning

London — UK transmission system operator National Grid on Jan. 6 canceled a notice issued a day earlier warning of insufficient generation this evening.

On Jan. 5, National Grid issued a so-called electricity margin notice warning of reduced capacity margins on Jan. 6 between 4 pm UK time (1600 GMT) and 7 pm, encouraging market actions to improve the situation.

Cancellation of the notice means enough additional capacity has been secured by National Grid to ensure sufficient margins this evening.

A margin shortfall of 584 MW had been forecast for the period, National Grid saying a "maximum generation service" could be instructed.

That is when generators can offer capacity outside an asset's normal operating range in emergency circumstances.

Interconnected system operators, meanwhile, had been called on to notify National Grid of any additional availability.

As at 10:57 am Jan. 6, Britain was importing full capacity on the IFA link from France and the Nemo link from Belgium. The BritNed link to the Netherlands remained unavailable.

Transmission-linked generation data showed CCGT plant running at 22 GW, coal plant at 3.4 GW and wind at 3.3 GW, down from 8 GW during the evening of Nov. 5.

This was the latest of several similar notices this winter as the British power system copes with the closure of coal plants, volatile wind generation and the unexpected unavailability of three large gas plants due to Calon Energy going into administration.

The power sector in Northern Ireland -- the fourth nation in the UK -- is integrated with its EU neighbor Ireland.