Powercut in UK
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Near sheep!
Posts: 915
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Powercut in UK
Power has gone off in Cornwall and reportedly large parts of UK. BBC quoting disruption to flights, but surely back-up systems will remove chance of this?
Last edited by WindSheer; 9th Aug 2019 at 17:43.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Near sheep!
Posts: 915
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought it was news channels over reacting also, but a lot of flights are now running late nationwide so its certainly newsworthy.
I work in rail, in the 12 years I have done, I have never witnessed all trains in UK being brought to a stop - as quoted by Network Rail.
Quite strange that most of the UK was down on power for a while.
I work in rail, in the 12 years I have done, I have never witnessed all trains in UK being brought to a stop - as quoted by Network Rail.
Quite strange that most of the UK was down on power for a while.
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
EDIT: the power station in question appears to be Little Barford (740 MWe gas-fired).
Last edited by Joe_K; 9th Aug 2019 at 19:34.
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: French Alps
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
https://gridwatch.co.uk
https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk
Both show live power sources for UK, take your pick.
IE Questions: What Keeps Our Electric Grid Humming? | Inside Energy
Explains what happens when there is a sudden change in the Supply or Demand
https://www.bmreports.com/bmrs/?q=remit
Web page showing power station status changes as posted as a screenshot in post #16 (yes I know post number are not maintained but in this case I think it will do).
Happy pylons
(Link wouldn't work without Quote stuff. I stopped fiddling when it burst into life. Oh no I didn't and it's dead now! Back to life I hope.)
https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk
Both show live power sources for UK, take your pick.
IE Questions: What Keeps Our Electric Grid Humming? | Inside Energy
Explains what happens when there is a sudden change in the Supply or Demand
https://www.bmreports.com/bmrs/?q=remit
Web page showing power station status changes as posted as a screenshot in post #16 (yes I know post number are not maintained but in this case I think it will do).
Happy pylons
(Link wouldn't work without Quote stuff. I stopped fiddling when it burst into life. Oh no I didn't and it's dead now! Back to life I hope.)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just a few thoughts
From what I've been able to find out: the problem was caused by a gas fired power station in Bedfordshire coming off line, followed two minutes later by a North Sea wind farm aggregation unit failing too. This caused the national power supply frequency to drop from approx 50Hz to 49Hz. This situation is outside allowed tolerances and load has to be shed from the generating system urgently.. I do not know if this is done automatically or by manual intervention or a combination of both. The withdrawal of power from the whole of the Rail Network could in my opinion: be an emergency contingency . We have not herd about cutting of power to steel furnaces/Heavy Industry yet - But situations like this can happen. Remember there's the National Grid (400KV/275KV) and the associated national distribution sistem (132KV/66KV/33KV and 11KV) down to the distribution transformers like the one 150 metres from the house !
I hope there's a proper technically detailed report made available to the public.
I hope there's a proper technically detailed report made available to the public.
Pretty sure the statutory frequency is 49.6 cycles so there would probably be automatic load shedding.During the summer {!!}some power stations are down for maintenance,of course this is allowed for.at peak times there used to be standbye plant running but not on load but this may not be the case now.Gas Turbines need a few minutes to get up and on load!!
There were reports that Newcastle Airport had no power for 15 minutes. Was that totally correct? What about the essential services standby? An airport as big as NCL would probably have no-break stand-by or at least a very short break stand-by, I forget the exact requirement in seconds.....if that failed then the airport has a lot to do to keep its approach category and perhaps its licence.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Near sheep!
Posts: 915
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There were reports that Newcastle Airport had no power for 15 minutes. Was that totally correct? What about the essential services standby? An airport as big as NCL would probably have no-break stand-by or at least a very short break stand-by, I forget the exact requirement in seconds.....if that failed then the airport has a lot to do to keep its approach category and perhaps its licence.
Anyway back to an aviation theme... the power cut didn’t need to contribute to another Friday of mayhem inside London TMA with virtually every U2 inbound to LGW significantly delayed.
We want to increase movements at LHR and elsewhere yet there isn’t enough airspace to manoeuvre them all especially on stormy days or if there’s an emergency or incident.
We want to increase movements at LHR and elsewhere yet there isn’t enough airspace to manoeuvre them all especially on stormy days or if there’s an emergency or incident.
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Age: 54
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
There was a huge thunderstorm over Newcastle airport at the time the power went off. I could see it from across the Tyne valley.
I'm sure that couldn't be coincidental?
I'm sure that couldn't be coincidental?
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You are sure that a gas-fired power station in Bedfordshire and a windfarm in the North Sea off the Yorkshire coast going offline at the same time were caused by a thunderstorm over Newcastle airport. Right.
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Age: 54
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts