The National Grid has confirmed that it will not be activating a blackout prevention scheme which could have seen households being paid to use less power. French energy suppliers, who are important for boosting supplies to the UK's power grid during the winter months, recently announced that they were struggling to cope with demand.
The National Grid's electricity systems operator (ESO) could have therefore activated a live run of the 'demand flexibility service'. The scheme has been running since the start of November with two trials having taken place, but it has not yet had a live event.
A spokesperson for National Grid ESO said that a requirement for the use of the scheme could have been issued for Tuesday night (November 29). A decision was due by 2.30pm on Monday (November 28) and the National Grid has confirmed that the system will not be used.
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The demand scheme sees households signed up to the initiative being paid not to use things like ovens, dishwashers and tumble dryers at certain points during the day. The National Grid issued a warning to households earlier this year that the scheme could become a reality, stating that blackouts could happen around the winter peaks as the weather drops.
John Pettigrew, National Grid's CEO, said that blackouts were a "worst-case scenario" and that the Government has been creating emergency plans to help people cope. These could last up to seven days if a national power outage was to take place and concerns grow over access to supplies.
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