January 7, 2010
The winter of our discontent...
From the UK Guardian:Energy security questioned as National Grid cuts off gas to factoriesA month or two of bad weather and they are forced into crisis mode. The comments are interesting -- one thing mentioned is that the car and sugar companies agreed to pay lower prices for the gas with the understanding that their service could be interupted. They took this gamble and are now suffering the consequences. Another comment was that most nations keep at least a 90 day reserve of gas while Britain only keeps a 15 day reserve. One thing for sure, the weather is a lot colder than usual -- here is a satellite image of snow cover:
Exclusive: Severe weather and creaking power infrastructure lead to first tangible sign that fears over energy shortages are translating into supply disruption
Vauxhall's car plant at Ellesmere Port and British Sugar's refineries at Bury St Edmunds and Newark are among nearly 100 factories that have had their energy supplies cut as Britain threatens to lurch from whiteout to blackout.
The National Grid has told British Gas and other power suppliers to cut or reduce their power to major corporate customers in a bid to preserve gas for domestic households as extreme weather caused a surge in demand.
Opposition MPs said inadequate energy planning by the government in previous years had left the country heading towards an "energy crisis" that could only dent the UK's fragile economic recovery.
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