According to analysts, the continuing drought in the UK and Europe is exerting pressure on power production.
Drought underscores risks to electrical supplies due to climate change. Overall, the amount of electricity produced by hydropower, which uses water to generate power, has decreased by 20%.
Additionally, access to nuclear power plants that use river water for cooling has been restricted.
There are worries that the shortages are a foreshadowing of what may occur in winter.
High temperatures in the UK are reducing the amount of energy produced by fossil, nuclear, and solar sources.
This is due to how poorly high temperatures are tolerated by solar panels and power plants’ technological components.
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As Europe looks for alternate sources of energy in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the protracted dry period is adding to the strain on energy supplies.
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Hydropower is a vital source of energy for Europe.As rivers and reservoirs dry up, it is becoming much harder for facilities to generate electricity.
Around 1/5 of Italy’s energy comes from hydropower. However this percentage has decreased by almost 40% during the past 12 months.
Similar trends can be seen in Spain, where electricity production is down 44%, per data from energy analysts Rystad Energy.
According to Fabian Rnningen, a power expert with Rystad, hydropower can be extremely unpredictable, but 40% is by far the most extreme.
He emphasises that not only are the numbers declining across all of Europe, but also in the major hydropower-producing nations.
It has a significant influence, he continues.
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Hydroelectricity is a problem in Norway as well. It issued a warning that unless its reservoirs were full, it might not be able to continue exporting energy to nations like the UK.
Some in the hydro business claim that issues are also being brought on by a lack of investment in transmission lines and modernization.
“This winter, we’re going to have a problem. And that ought to serve as a reminder to increase infrastructure spending in the coming years “from the International Hydropower Association, Eddie Rich
The generation of nuclear electricity is also being impacted by the unusually hot weather, particularly in France. A systematic corrosion problem has afflicted many of the fleet’s 56 reactor. It make up around half of the offline reactors.
When temperatures are high, water from rivers that are now running low is frequently used to cool those reactors that are operating.
“In essence, you have to cease cooling nuclear power facilities once the water in the rivers is very low and very hot. This is due to the spilled water being harmful to riverine animals like fish “says ETH Zurich professor Sonia Seneviratne.
As a temporary solution, the French government is now permitting some facilities to discharge very warm water back into the rivers.
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It highlights the strains that the heat is placing on the energy sector. Currently, France is importing power from the UK among other countries to make up the shortage.
Analysts claim that this is increasing strain on the UK grid at a time when the extremely warm weather is affecting gas. Also to nuclear facility production.
Kathryn Porter, an energy analyst at Watt-Logic, notes that when the weather is warmer, cooling the facilities is more challenging.
“Above 25C, the efficiency of solar panels likewise drops by quite a little. When it’s hot, everything just doesn’t work as well “Adds she.
When the National Grid triggered a capacity market warning this week—a procedural indication that the safe margins for operating the grid were shrinkig.It was clear that the UK system was under stress.
The power markets of several nations, notably the UK and France, are interdependent.
Nobody really knows what will happen if the French and UK systems are both under stress at the same moment.
She referred to it as a preview of what may occur in the winter. Also issued a warning that there might be limits on large users’ access to electricity.
