[ Spotlight: Energy solutions ]
How long will the lights stay on?
The danger of large-scale power cuts is looming. BILL WRIGHT, head of Energy Solutions at the ECA, shines a spotlight on the real issues about potential energy shortages and explains how electrical contractors can help to deliver the solution
L
ondon, Corporate HQ, 3.35pm, 6 February 2015: area recovering from recent storm, trees down in Kensington Gardens, some flooding by the Thames. Weather: bright but cold, with no wind. An area of high
pressure is covering most of the UK and is forecast to stay for the next two days. There will be icy conditions on the roads overnight... At Corporate HQ, the lights have been dimming and flickering all day, but that’s fairly normal at this
22 ECA Today March 2014
time of the year. Ofgem has put out warnings of low generation margins, but no one takes much notice these days – there have been so many warnings. The building lights go out and it is getting dark outside. No streetlights, only some dim emergency lights in the office. Computers switch off, heating off, everything stops. Staff sit at desks waiting for power to be restored – it always comes back on, doesn’t it? – but not this time. After 15 minutes, ambulances can be heard nearby, and the only lights are from a few torches and car headlights. Useful, those batteries… Still dark and getting colder. Someone switches on
a radio and hears an announcement that all of central west London has suffered a major power outage. Could be out for some time; advice is to stay calm, use a torch (where is that torch?) and walk home – if possible – as all traffic lights and street lighting is out. Accidents at junctions and general confusion have already jammed the major roads. Emergency lights start to dim; all told to leave work and go home. Except the Tube and trains are not running properly, and many are not running at all…
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65