Strangely a water cooling array catches fire, and we loose a lot of power generation while its rebuilt or the other ones take up the slack if possible its a big plumbing problem.

Then we have quite a few nuclear stations off line due to shutdowns or offline for long term repairs.

Just how close are we to a blackout when the weather turns cold.

Discuss

Ever tighter generation margins. National Grid looked at their forecasts mid summer and decided this winter outlook was not as good as previously expected so decided to trial their new Winter peaking model ‘Strategic Balancing Reserve’.

Since the decision to implement SBR was taken, the generation outlook is even worse as you say. Fingers crossed for a mild winter!

*sits around said fire, toasting marsmallows*

Energy companies in profit loss due to warm summer insurance claim conspiracy theory, you heard it here first.

Apparently little power generation capability is lost. Three cooling fans/towers were burned out, they appear to have quite a few more, and the actual ‘tower’, more a venturi, is actually a wood structure with a big fan inside, so not difficult to see how it could catch fire.

Owners RWE announced on 9 January 2014 that modules 5 and 6 of Didcot B will cease generation by 31 December 2023 at the latest, to comply with the European Industrial Emissions Directive which takes effect as of January 2016. It is however possible that the life of these modules will be extended if RWE decide to install equipment to further reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

Ah well, we’ll just close it now to save installing all that expensive equipment
😉

Did notice that Screwfix have some super cheap petrol generators on sale!

Not uncommon for fires at power stations apparently. Just unfortunate there’s been a few biggies in the last couple of years.

Maintenance cut backs?
Fewer staff on site? Who knows ….

Good thing we’ve still got Didcot A, and nobody knocked it down because the EU said it had too many miles on the clock… oh! 😉

Cost the boss a fortune in Big Macs during the middle of the night. Twenty appliances, police, ambulance etc and no burger van. Milton roundabout Maccy D’s must have thought Christmas came early.

I wonder if there is someone somewhere who would want to sbaotage our energy supply?

he probably even used some sort of “LASER”