Where Our Energy Comes From news from 2024
43 stories, newest first
- December 2024
Renewables generated over half of UK electricity for the first time in 2024
Official statistics show renewable technologies supplied more than half of the UK's electricity generation in 2024, the first time this share has been passed, up from around 46.5% in 2023.
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status in central southern England ahead of New Year's Day
SSEN raised its preparedness to Weather Warning status in central southern England on 30 December 2024, with gusts of over 50mph inland forecast for New Year's Day and potential damage to the electricity network.
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status in the north of Scotland
SSEN moved to Weather Warning status in the north of Scotland on 30 December 2024, activating contingency plans and extra teams ahead of wind, rain and snow forecast over Hogmanay.
SSEN moves to Yellow Alert status in the north of Scotland
SSEN moved to Yellow Alert in the north of Scotland on 20 December 2024, ahead of weekend gusts forecast to reach 85mph, and has contacted nearly 60,000 Priority Services Register customers.
SSEN restores 82,151 customers following Storm Darragh
SSEN restored supplies to 82,151 customers in central southern England by 7pm on Sunday 8 December after Storm Darragh, with 4,140 properties still off supply and about 900 expected to run into Monday.
SSEN moves to Yellow Alert in central southern England ahead of Storm Darragh
SSEN moved to Yellow Alert across central southern England on 5 December 2024, forecasting 60mph gusts from Storm Darragh and postponing weekend works to free up response teams.
Storm Darragh causes widespread power cuts in NGED areas
National Grid Electricity Distribution has confirmed storm payment thresholds were exceeded across its licence areas after Storm Darragh, and has offered some affected customers a one-off goodwill payment on top of guaranteed standards payments.
- November 2024
DFS became a year-round in-merit service
The Demand Flexibility Service moved from a winter-only scheme to a year-round, in-merit margin tool on 27 November 2024, giving the system operator a standing option to pay households and businesses for shifting electricity use.
SSEN restores power to all customers affected by Storm Bert
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has reconnected every home and business left without power by Storm Bert, after high winds and flooding damaged overhead lines across its north and south distribution areas.
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status ahead of Storm Bert
SSEN has moved to Weather Warning status ahead of Storm Bert, bringing in extra teams and texting 750,000 Priority Services Register customers before severe weather on 23 and 24 November.
NGN launches free CO alarm giveaway for CO Awareness Week
Northern Gas Networks is giving away up to 2,000 free carbon monoxide alarms from 18 November 2024 until 28 February 2025, after its research found only 37 per cent of people in its regions have a working alarm.
- October 2024
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status ahead of Storm Ashley
SSEN has moved to Weather Warning status across the north of Scotland ahead of Storm Ashley, with gusts of up to 70mph forecast for Sunday 20 and Monday 21 October 2024.
National Grid ESO confirms DFS will continue year-round
National Grid ESO has confirmed the Demand Flexibility Service will keep being developed to manage high demand periods across the whole year, according to research published by Nesta.
- September 2024
UK's last coal-fired power station closes
Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Britain's last coal-fired power station, closed on 30 September 2024, ending 142 years of coal generation and leaving gas, wind and imports to meet UK electricity demand.
SSEN net zero local network programme works begin in Bournemouth area
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has begun a £12 million upgrade of the electricity network serving almost 200,000 customers around Bournemouth, running from Christchurch to Boscombe until 2026.
Neat Heat trial findings published showing heat batteries shift heating demand off-peak
UK Power Networks, OVO and tepeo published findings from the 18-month Neat Heat trial, reporting that heat batteries in 30 homes moved up to 95% of heating demand outside peak hours.
UK's last coal power station closes
Ratcliffe-on-Soar, the UK's last coal fired power station, closed in September 2024, ending 142 years of coal generation and taking the sector's emissions to zero.
SSEN completes design and build phase of first transformer in Southampton net zero network project
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has finished the design and build phase of the first transformer in an £8m Southampton network upgrade, four months into a project due to finish in June 2025.
- August 2024
SSEN's Witney Green Recovery network upgrade under way
SSEN has begun a £5 million upgrade of its Witney substation, adding 14.2MW of capacity for nearly 30,000 homes and businesses, with completion scheduled for early 2026.
- July 2024
SGN publishes article on fuel poverty support partnerships
SGN has set out how its Safe and Warm Community Scheme with the Centre for Sustainable Energy and its Safe and Warm programme with Citizens Advice Scotland are reaching households in fuel poverty.
Government removed the de facto onshore wind ban in England
The government has removed the de facto ban on onshore wind in England that had been in place since 2015, according to its formal response to the Climate Change Committee's progress report.
- June 2024
Connect Direct integration raises instant approval rate to over 90%
UK Power Networks says linking its Smart Connect system to the Energy Networks Association's Connect Direct portal has lifted instant approval of domestic connection applications from 86% to over 90%.
Electricity system operator to become National Energy System Operator
The electricity system operator for Great Britain is to become the National Energy System Operator in summer 2024, a change set out in the Energy Act 2023.
- April 2024
SSEN announces £4.1m underground cable upgrade in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen
SSEN Distribution has announced a £4.1m project to replace more than 3.7km of underground cables in Aberdeen, improving supplies to over 7,000 properties and adding capacity for heat pumps and EV chargers.
Phase One of East Dunblane network upgrade scheduled to start
SSEN Distribution is to begin the first phase of a £900,000 upgrade of the electricity network in East Dunblane on 15 April 2024, replacing underground cables and substation equipment.
Ofgem confirms technical changes to price cap wholesale model taking effect from April 2024
Ofgem has confirmed technical changes to the wholesale cost allowance model used to set the energy price cap, taking effect from April 2024, and decided against adjusting the cap for 2022 to 2023 wholesale costs.
WHAM funding taken over by Wales & West Utilities
The Centre for Sustainable Energy says its WHAM advice service in Bristol, BANES and North Somerset has been funded by Wales & West Utilities since April 2024.
- March 2024
ECIU analysis finds Government policy pushing UK backwards on energy security
A year after the Government's Powering Up Britain strategy, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit says recent policy changes have increased the UK's reliance on imported gas and oil.
SSEN and partners announce accelerated connection timescales for 7,800 homes in West London
SSEN Distribution and National Grid have brought forward connection dates for 7,800 homes across three West London boroughs using ramped connections, with projects once slated for the 2030s now able to connect within 12 to 24 months.
SSEN announces completion of VFES vulnerability innovation project
SSEN Distribution has completed the VFES innovation project, funded by Ofgem's Network Innovation Allowance, which predicts where and when communities are most vulnerable to power cuts and to missing out on low-carbon technology.
ESO outlines Beyond 2030 report
The Electricity System Operator set out its Beyond 2030 report in March 2024, recommending transmission network investment for the 2030s to support a decarbonised grid.
- February 2024
SSEN announces £2.2m Dorchester Town Green Recovery upgrade under way
SSEN Distribution has confirmed a £2.2m nine-month upgrade in Dorchester Town, adding 7.2MW of capacity for more than 21,000 homes and businesses, due to finish by November 2024.
ECIU estimates UK spent around £105bn on wholesale gas in 2.5 years of the gas crisis
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit estimates the UK spent around £105bn on wholesale gas in two and a half years of the gas crisis, about £75bn more than before it.
Welsh Government publishes response to Ofgem call for input on standing charges
The Welsh Government has told Ofgem that standing charges should be abolished, that North Wales pays the highest in Great Britain, and that a social tariff is overdue.
SSEN submits £10m Storm Arwen funding application to Ofgem
SSEN Distribution has asked Ofgem for £10m of dedicated funding for five projects to improve storm response and network resilience, following the regulator's review of the response to Storm Arwen.
Launch of Interim CMIS EC5 service
The Electricity System Operator launched an interim Constraint Management Intertrip Service for the EC5 region in February 2024, with an enduring service to follow from April 2025.
- January 2024
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status for north of Scotland ahead of 31 January winds
SSEN Distribution moved to Weather Warning status for the north of Scotland on 29 January 2024, then upgraded to Yellow Alert on 30 January, ahead of very strong winds forecast for Wednesday 31 January.
SSEN restores power to 35,000 homes after Storm Isha
SSEN restored power to 35,000 homes in central southern England after Storm Isha, as the network operator prepared for Storm Jocelyn and set out compensation for affected customers.
Storm Jocelyn forecast to disrupt SSEN network
SSEN restored power to more than 36,000 homes after Storm Isha and warned that Storm Jocelyn is expected to disrupt its network through Tuesday and Wednesday.
SSEN maintains yellow alert for north of Scotland ahead of Storm Jocelyn
SSEN keeps its yellow alert for the north of Scotland as Storm Jocelyn is forecast to bring 75mph gusts overnight, while crews finish reconnecting 370 properties left without power by Storm Isha.
SSEN moves to Weather Warning status for central southern England
SSEN Distribution moved to Weather Warning status for central southern England on 18 January 2024, warning of gusts of 55 to 60mph from Sunday night into Monday morning.
Weather warning for central southern England with damaging winds forecast
SSEN activated contingency plans and added teams ahead of gusts forecast above 55mph inland and 60mph on coasts and high ground across central southern England on 2 January 2024.
Issuance of accelerated connection contracts for 10 GW of BESS
The Electricity System Operator issued connection contracts with accelerated dates for 21 battery storage projects totalling 10 GW at the start of 2024, it has reported.