GENERATORS, BACKUP POWER & BATTERIES
Prepare for the blackout
Ensuring power supply during uncertain times
R
ecently, the National Grid warned of a risk of three-hour planned blackouts if electricity
supply in the UK runs extremely low. Although this is unlikely, it’s certainly not impossible. For businesses, three hours without power is a huge
disruption to operations that can be avoided with the correct preparation. Here, Andrew Keith, division director of load bank manufacturer Power Prove, explains how businesses can maintain their backup power supply to avoid expensive downtime.
Energy is in short supply across Europe, meaning
that the UK’s National Grid has prepared various scenarios and action plans to ensure that supply remains continuous. While this very much echoes the power blackouts of the 1970s — which meant businesses left without power had to close their doors — the situation we’re in now is different. Britain doesn’t rely in fossil fuel power to the
same degree as it did in the 70s, with a more diverse energy supply, which includes several renewable sources. While yes, the political situation means that natural gas supply is in jeopardy, there’s the added issue that renewable sources don’t come without unreliability. If weather conditions aren’t favourable, energy supply is inconsistent. This could mean it’s not possible to supply enough electricity to meet demand during cold winter months.
SECURING BUSINESS OPERATIONS Not everyone would be affected by these planned blackouts, however. Hospitals, oil refineries and certain other critical services would
have their energy supply protected. While it’s absolutely crucial for these essential services to have electricity, there are other businesses that need power too, and cannot afford unexpected shutdowns should their supply be cut off. Think manufacturing facilities that need to keep their shopfloor running, office blocks that need power to each business they house and supermarkets with huge energy requirements for keeping produce fresh. In each of these scenarios, electricity is essential to keeping businesses afloat. To overcome the threat that blackouts could
pose, in the near or distant future, all essential premises and facilities should have an installed and maintained uninterruptible power supply (UPS). A UPS normally takes the form of a battery and generating set, or a combination of the two.
PRE-PREPARED POWER Typically, a UPS’ battery and generator set work together to provide continued power supply. A battery-powered UPS is used first, to provide instant supply from the second normal supply is cut. Once the immediate problem has been handled, a diesel-powered generator takes over and supplies electricity until power is restored. So, how do we ensure that the generators are operating correctly? Blackouts aren’t a regular occurrence, but facilities need to be certain of their UPS’ performance. Without regular
24 MARCH 2023 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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