ESO seeks emergency powers to cut off distributed generation

National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) is seeking emergency powers to order the disconnection of distributed generators, as it prepares for unusually low levels of demand over the summer season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The ESO said the “unprecedented societal changes” brought about by the crisis have led to electricity demand turning out 20 per cent below previously forecast levels. It stressed that the powers would be temporary and only used as a “last resort”.

The body has proposed a modification to the Grid Code that would allow it to issue the instructions to distribution networks operators (DNOs). The proposal document suggests the ESO may already be able to do this but says the code is “ambiguous” and it is “unclear if these would be legally binding.”

The modification GC0143 would “clarify these arrangements” and prevent DNOs from being exposed to legal risk.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic the societal changes required by the need to achieve social distancing have led to demand for electricity falling by up to 20 per cent compared to predicted values,” it explains.

“While the ESO is seeking to mitigate the operational risks due to this by establishing a new service for downward flexibility management, as a last resort if all commercially available options through this service and actions in the balancing mechanism have been taken it may be necessary to seek to control embedded generators.

“Where these generators are not participants in the balancing mechanism and therefore do not hold connection agreements with the ESO this can only be achieved by instructing the DNOs to do this through the Grid Code.”

The document continues: “The changes proposed will give the ESO the clear ability to instruct DNOs to disconnect embedded generation in an emergency situation. This would only be pursued as a last resort if no further actions were available to the ESO either commercially or in the balancing mechanism.

“As part of the solution a sunset clause has been included which will time out the additions to the Grid Code in October 2020 if not further amended by this point. It is the intention that a more considered solution to the issues identified here will be developed in the meantime…”

The ESO has asked for the modification to be implemented by 7 May to enable it to cope with exceptionally low demand over the Bank Holiday weekend starting the following day.

This is also the date by which the ESO plans to commence the new downward flexibility service announced earlier this week and referenced in the proposal document.