ENW to pay businesses to help balance grid

Companies or individual customers who can generate electricity onto the network, or reduce how much they use at certain times, could help the network operator meet future demand at peak times, and receive payment in return.

Cara Blockley, Electricity North West’s capacity manager, said: “We’re all using more electricity and the traditional way to cope with increasing demand is to build a bigger network. But that’s expensive and disruptive, so we’re taking an innovative approach and asking customers if they can reduce demand at peak times or generate power locally in exchange for an incentive payment.”

Electricity North West is looking for customers in these key locations where local substations are close to capacity:

• Alston, near Carlisle, Cumbria
• Blackfriars Road, Salford and Central Manchester
• Cheetham Hill, North Manchester
• Coniston, Cumbria
• Easton, Cumbria
• Stuart Street, Central and East Manchester
• Nelson, East Lancashire

“We are constantly utilising new technology and alternative ways of managing our network,” adds Blockley. “This will ensure we can continue to deliver an affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supply for all our customers in the low carbon future.

“Flexible services is one of the techniques which will help us meet our customers’ needs in an industry that is constantly changing.

“We hope that by joining forces with generators, storage operators and electricity consumers, we can meet demand in an efficient and more cost-effective way that will help to reduce customers’ bills and protect the environment.”

Companies interested in providing flexible services to Electricity North West are asked to complete a questionnaire and return it by 29 May 2018.

Electricity North West will run a competitive tender for contract delivery in winter 2018/2019 and winter 2019/2020.

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