UK grid requests backup capacity to fill potential winter supply gap

Britain's electricity network operator National Grid has brought forward by a year a scheme to tap additional power capacity over the winter following a number of unexpected plant outages. National Grid launched a tender for its Supplemental Balancing Reserve (SBR) on Tuesday, asking power generators how much spare capacity they could provide this winter to fill a potential supply gap. The network operator decided to take SBR forward after a series of unplanned shutdowns at large power plants worsened the supply outlook for this winter since its last capacity assessment in June, it said. Britain is already facing a power capacity crunch as ageing and polluting stations are shutting down, while new plants are slow to start operating because of a government overhaul of energy policy. Read More http://ift.tt/1sWsw26