UK decreases energy demand due to coronavirus: Cornwall Insight

Data from energy analysis provider Cornwall Insight shows that energy demand in the UK went down by 13% the day after the UK Government announced the coronavirus lockdown.

Cornwall Insight senior modeller Tom Edwards said: “Lower demand brings its own set of challenges to managing the system, the chief among which is managing system stability. Low demand means there is less space to operate larger synchronous generators.

“This can affect system inertia and rate of change of frequency – how quickly the system responds to a change of conditions. To cope with this, the ESO could constrain wind and keep thermal plant such as gas or coal running.”