Distribution network operator (DNO) SP Energy Networks has announced that a partnership with energy supplier Statkraft helped prevent outages during maintenance work on the electricity grid.
Statkraft’s 49MW Rheidol hydropower scheme, which has been operational since 1962 and is the largest of its kind in England and Wales, provided flexibility services. SP Energy paid an availability fee for each day that the hydro power plant was on standby and an additional fee if it was needed to ensure minimum disruption in electricity supply for customers.
Gerard Boyd, head of flexibility at SP Energy Networks, explained: “Flexibility helps us to defer the need for costly reinforcement now and manage outages pre and post fault as we build the network for tomorrow.
“Entering into this partnership with Statkraft is a practical example of flexibility and demonstrates our commitment to working with industry partners to manage network risk and reduce potential impact on our customers.”
SP Energy Networks, the DNO arm of utility Scottish Power, is working with several operational flexibility providers and has announced a commitment to exploring flexibility options as part of its RIIO-ED2 strategy that includes greater participation in flexibility markets.
SP Energy Networks recently secured £914,130 from Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to progress two flexibility projects: Equiflex and LVOE.
The Equiflex project aims to promote equal access to flexibility services, helping stakeholders build a toolkit to advise stakeholders on how they can harness opportunities and overcome barriers to enter the flexibility market.
The LVOE project aims to assist with grid balancing on the low-voltage network as more households shift to low-carbon. LVOE will explore how the use of a new low voltage power device called the LV Optimiser, can help balance the low voltage network and thus remove the requirements for multi-million pound network upgrades.
During October, the DNO’s monthly flexibility tender secured 76MWh of volume from domestic aggregators and generators across 14 locations between its two licence areas.
Various initiatives to provide the flexibility the UK’s electricity grid needs are taking off, as the infrastructure remains a key barrier to decarbonisation. A report published by trade group Energy Networks Association (ENA) in July found that during 2023 local flexibility saw network operators tender 6.4GW of capacity.
For the second successive year, 75% of contracted flexibility was comprised of low-carbon technologies, including solar, energy storage and biofuel.
