Construction Delays in UK’s New Power Generation Lead to Energy Security Crisis in 2028.
The United Kingdom is projected to encounter a power crisis due to a significant gap between the grid’s guaranteed capacity and the actual power demands which is discovered in an analysis by Public First, ‘Mind the gap: Exploring Britain’s energy crunch’, commissioned by Drax Group (Drax).
The squeeze on energy availability is set to hit a peak, with a shortfall of 7.5 gigawatts (GW) anticipated. This is primarily due to the UK phasing out older energy production facilities faster than new ones can be brought online.
“Delivering energy security is a critical and longstanding challenge for all governments. The need to maintain it while tackling climate change and rapidly decarbonising economies makes the issue all the more acute.
“This research demonstrates the UK is facing a power generation crunch point, with demand set to outstrip the supply of secure dispatchable and baseload capacity – leaving the UK reliant on intermittent forms of generation. To keep the lights on, part of the solution will be extending the lives of existing generation assets. Drax Power Station and our pumped storage and hydro power sites already provide secure, renewable electricity for millions of homes and businesses – but there’s more we can do.
“Drax plans to massively expand the generation capacity of Cruachan pumped storage power station in Scotland, some of which could be available to help bridge the power gap. Additionally, providing we secure the appropriate transitional support, our project to deliver two units of BECCS at our Selby site would also support energy security and decarbonisation through the crunch and well into the future.”
The UK stands at a critical juncture in its energy future, facing a pressing energy crunch that demands strategic investments in a diverse array of energy sources. Ensuring a reliable and sustainable power supply will require concerted efforts across the energy sector, including the adoption of innovative technologies and the expansion of renewable energy capacities.