ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades British Blackouts

No comments? Did nobody else over here see the show?

Paul,

I am interested to see the documentary - I just didn't want to be the first, and have to have you send it across the pond before our European correspondents got their tupennyworth (Euro0.01?) in. Being PAL possible here in the USA, I can take you up on your offer. I was following with interest your recent answers to UK/US video problems on the General Section. If you're still fine on the offer, I'll email you an address off-list. The second global customer will naturally have it mailed from me.

[when will I learn to spell?]

[This message has been edited by Hutch (edited 12-16-2003).]

Actually saw a few mins of the documentary and then had to rush out. Seemed pretty to be saying that the system was runnning extremely close to capacity all the time and that they were bringing mothballed stations back on line to keep up the supply.

Ireland's demand's been growing at a phenomonal rate over the last few years and because of on-going deregulation of the power industry legislation was actually preventing the ESB (the main nationalised powercomany) from expanding capacity as it had too much market share. However, private operators were not building anything like enough capacity fast enough to keep the system going and we actually did reach crisis situations on a few occasions yet didn't loose power.

The government had to override EU directives on competition and just give the ESB the go-ahead to expand exsisting power plants a.s.a.p.

ESB also had to hire large power generation ships and moor them in harbours at stratigic locations around the grid and we were quite litterally sucking every drop of power out of the Northern Irish system that we could buy.

The Irish grid is pretty much totally isolated it has a relatively low capacity interconnector to Northern Ireland and as yet no connection to the British grid so we really can't import that much power.

NIE (Northern Ireland Electricty) has recently opened a DC connector to Scotland.

Eirgrid, our now seperate grid operator, is likely to go ahead with larger DC connection to the UK from the Dublin area.

ESB's also been desperately trying to remove really heavy power users from the grid where possible by working with Bord Gais (The national gas company) to push CHP (Combined Heat and Power) systems in industrial setups. These small CHP setups can sell their excess power back into the grid.

There has been a substantial increase in capacity over the last 1-2 years but it's still not exactly it comfortable levels and demand is still rising rapidly.

This xmas period will actually be a good test of wheather the crisis is over or not!

From www.meldrum.co.uk :



Le plus ca change, le plus c'est la meme chose!

As I said, the documentary seemed a little slow at the beginning, but they did raise some interesting points later, including a look at coal/gas vs. upcoming methods such as wind power.

I'll get the tape on the way to Hutch. Anybody else who wants to see it, please post here, then contact the previous person with your postal address.

I'm also interested seeing this documentary, I live in the UK, but I forgot all about it and ended up missing. It was kind of stupid of me not to reply sooner, as I live in the UK...

If your fine with sending it back over here, I could email you my address.

On another note, I saw a program about the blackout in August on the Discovery channel, I could possibly add this to the tape if anyone is interested.

Thanks!

RyanJ, email me an address using this button and I will forward it on to you once I've received and watched it.

Paul,
What did the documentary focus on?.
I missed it.

The tape is on the way to Hutch in Nevada, although it might be a little slow as it's in the Christmas mail. My apologies for the delay in getting it out, but I've been so busy that I just haven't had time to get to the post office before.

Trumpy,
One of the main points was the change since deregulation and how little spare capacity we have in the network now. They then went on to look at how future needs might be met.

Paul, djk,
Is Hydro-electric generation used in the UK or Ireland at all?.

Yes, there are hydro stations in the more hilly regions of the U.K. -- Scotland & Wales mostly.