The operator of Britain’s electricity grid intends to keep at least one coal-fired power station in operation this winter, despite working to phase out the fossil fuel.
The government plans to eliminate coal in the UK’s power mix by the end of 2024, ahead of its target of achieving “net zero” on carbon emissions by 2050.
But supply shocks linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine have forced the retention of older fuels for the time being, and this week operators started burning coal for the first time in six weeks.
“We expect one of the five (coal) units to be commercially available in the market,” the National Grid’s Electricity System Operator said in a report previewing winter demand.
But it added that fossil power plants, wind farms and other generation methods were expected to provide more than enough power to meet demand, after fears of blackouts last winter.