Regen’s CEO, National Grid’s interim report released today on the 9 August blackout sets out clearly how the electricity system worked in response to two generators dropping out. However, neither this review nor BEIS’ wider study seems to be asking the basic question, are we operating the system at too fine a margin?
Whilst a higher margin to cope with unexpected events comes at a cost to bill payers, the price the system operator has to pay for that backup frequency response has been falling rapidly.
We set out our thoughts in a blog last week on how system operation could become smarter and utilise fast acting storage capacity more effectively to protect the system https://www.regen.co.uk/power-cut-demonstrates-value-of-fast-response-assets-like-battery-storage/