National Grid wants help from industry to manage short circuit levels and keep the grid stable in Scotland for the next phase of its stability pathfinder.
Part one of the pathfinder saw Grid award some £328m in long-term contracts to Drax, Rassau Grid Services (Welsh Power), Statkraft, Triton and Uniper to provide inertia, plus voltage and short circuit management.
It will need more of these services as coal and older gas and nuclear plant come off this system in the coming decade – and Scotland is the priority for the second phase, “with short circuit level being a key focus”, states the ESO.
The tender will be open to a broader range of technology types – and this time firms will be allowed to export power as well as provide stability services.
While it is again looking at long-term contracts, the ESO said future phases will likely move towards annual procurement, and ultimately “closer to real-time”.
The RFI asks interested parties for feedback on procurement plans and how Covid-19 might need to be accounted for.
Details here.
