Big energy users face 'amber power alerts' this winter           

Commercial users could be warned to power down to ensure households do not face blackouts

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities says system alerts for large users cannot be ruled out. 

Big commercial users of electricity face the risk of "amber alerts" this winter to ensure households do not face blackouts as generating supply remains slender. 

The warning comes from the regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, or CRU, which says system alerts for large users cannot be ruled out even as risks have declined with the return of generators at Whitegate and Huntstown in the coming weeks.                                  

Amber alerts could take the form of warnings to large users to power down and manage their consumption over certain periods. 

In a briefing note on security of supply, the CRU said it will take on overall responsibility to deliver new generating capacity for the next 10 years to ensure there is enough power on the system to meet burgeoning demand, including from big users such as data centres. 

"Short-term supply risk has declined due to planned return to operation of generators, but margins will remain challenging during the winter period," said the regulator. 

It follows a report by network operator EirGrid which spelled out the requirements for new generation capacity in the coming years to avoid any blackouts after this winter.     

Lowest volume of wind

In the past year, the system had to cope with the lowest volume of wind across Europe since the 1960s, while at the same time ageing power generators went off grid for maintenance. Future additional demand for power has been "primarily" driven by the number of data centres that will open up in the coming years. 

The CRU has now committed to acquire 300MW of emergency capacity on a temporary basis to meet any potential shortfall in the winter of 2022/23.

Longer term, it will ensure the delivery of 2,000MW in gas-powered capacity for the all-Ireland energy market by 2030 "to provide for growing demand, replace retiring generators and support additional penetration of renewables in order to meet our 2030 policy goals". 

The CRU is also working to help the building of new interconnectors to France and Britain.      

"In a tight system, it becomes increasingly difficult to schedule outages on the transmission system which allow for necessary maintenance of the wires and the connection of new demand and the conventional and renewable generation required to meet our 2030 goals. EirGrid has identified a requirement for additional reserve to facilitate this transmission outage planning," said the CRU. 

CRU commissioner Jim Gannon said: "This programme of work, some of which is already underway, is being delivered in order that that, as we secure the longer-term enduring capacity that we need in order to reach our 2030 targets, we can mitigate the more medium-term risks that EirGrid have identified and continue to meet the demands of our growing and de-carbonising economy."

Capacity challenged

Capacity is being challenged across the continent.    

“Europe’s supply-demand balance will remain unusually tight heading into the winter, adding further price pressure to a market already at record highs,” Bloomberg analysts wrote in a report. 

The latest warning that the power crunch is spreading across Europe comes from the Norwegian grid operator Statnett, which said electricity supplies in the southwest of the country are “pressed”.