UK: National Grid appeals for more gas as imports fail to arrive

[phantom power]

National Grid issued another appeal this lunchtime for more gas supplies to be pumped to the UK after imports from Norway failed to arrive.

Unusually cold weather led to a shutdown of the Ormen Lange processing centre in the Norwegian Sea, interrupting gas flows to the UK at a time of peak demand.

The so-called gas balancing alert has been issued four times so far this month. National Grid has only used it five times in total since the system was introduced three years ago.

A spokeswoman said later in the afternoon that the market had responded and alternative supplies procured to make up the shortfall.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/11/uk-gas-reserves-imports-fail

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Stupid thing is, the National Grid has been supplying electricity to France

for all but the last couple of hours out of the previous 40: see http://www.bmreports.com/bsp/bsp_home.htm ("Average Half Hourly Interconnector Flows" at the bottom of the page). Gas is the major way the UK generates electricity. Now they're saying they are running low. :eyes: