Balancing Mechanism

  • Press Releases

    Reform of electricity network charges and balancing markets could fast-track energy transition

    Reforming charges for using the electricity network and reviewing how generators and customers provide flexibility to the system, could accelerate cost-effective decarbonisation of the electricity system, and help GB meet its net-zero targets. A new report1, from Cornwall Insight in partnership with SSE, explores how rethinking the Transmission Network Use...

  • Press Releases

    Cornwall Insight comments on a month of Dynamic Containment

    On the 1 October National Grid ESO launched its new frequency response service, Dynamic Containment. This is the first in a suite of new, faster-acting response services, designed to address significant deviations when they occur on the transmission system. The roll-out of this new post-fault response service aims to help...

  • Media Mentions

    PowerTechnology | Batteries see 149% increase in the BM

    Our ‘Balancing Mechanism report’ has found that accepted volumes in the Balancing Mechanism (BM) from identified batteries, gas reciprocating engines, and aggregated units across June – August 2020 have all increased, This research was featured in PowerTechnology. It is no surprise that the BM experienced a notable increase in activity...

  • Press Releases

    Batteries see 149% increase in Balancing Mechanism activity

    Research from Cornwall Insight highlights that there are significant changes in the technology type that has been providing balancing actions to the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), with activity from newer asset types seeing the greatest year-on-year increase. Accepted volumes in the Balancing Mechanism (BM) from identified batteries, gas...

  • Media Mentions

    Power Technology | Balancing charges and lockdown

    Lee Drummee Analyst at Cornwall Insight featured on Power Technology discussing the effects of fall in energy demand, caused by the UK Covid-19 lockdown on the Balancing Mechanism. He explained that the fall in energy demand because of the Covid-19 lockdown was always expected to increase the £/MWh rate of...

  • Press Releases

    Cornwall Insight comments on the increase in BSUoS charges

    The effects of the fall in energy demand due to the COVID-19 lockdown accompanied with a high penetration of renewables on the transmission system has seen the activity on the Balancing Mechanism (BM) increase. This increase in accepted volume on the BM is reflected in BSUoS charges. The average half-hourly...

  • Press Releases

    The effects of lockdown on the Balancing Mechanism

    The COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdown restrictions have impacted GB’s energy market, with record low demand and wholesale prices. These changes in market conditions have seen National Grid as the Electricity System Operator (ESO) face operational challenges in balancing the electricity system. Research from Cornwall Insight highlights that during...

  • Press Releases

    Cornwall Insight comments on £51mn cost to balance the electricity system over the Bank Holiday

    The Bank Holiday (23-24 May) saw the UK experience warm yet windy weather. Coupled with the significantly low levels of energy demand observed during the lockdown, it is no surprise that the level of activity from National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) to turn down generation was high. As a...

  • Press Releases

    Western Link outage and high wind sees constraint cost hit a record high

    The Western Link HVDC suffered an unplanned outage on 10 January, which caused it to remain offline until 8 February. This coincided with record-high levels of wind generation in GB with generation from transmission connected wind topping 6.3TWh. However, with 2.2GW of HVDC capacity unavailable, significant volumes of wind output...

  • Press Releases

    New Balancing Mechanism entrants expected

    National Grid ESO’s project Wider Access – a project to increase accessibility to the Balancing Mechanism (BM) – is scheduled to go-live on 11 December 2019. Cornwall Insight has reviewed the recent activity of aggregated units and batteries in the BM and what impact this project will have on new...

  • Press Releases

    Scottish wind farms called upon in the Balancing Mechanism

    Management of wind resources is a critical tool for National Grid in dealing with system constraints, supply and demand imbalance and increasingly inertia*. Data from Cornwall Insight’s Balancing Mechanism (BM) Service highlights that wind was the first-most utilised renewable technology asked to turn down in the BM. Further analysis also...

  • Press Releases

    Negative imbalance price phenomenon predicted to rise

    On Sunday (24th March), imbalance prices turned negative for 13 consecutive settlement periods, as low electricity demand and high levels of wind output led the System Operator to reduce generation output from a variety of wind, combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) and biomass power stations. Negative pricing in the Balancing...

  • Press Releases

    Cornwall Insight Ireland’s analysis of the high pricing in the Balancing Market

    On 24th January the balancing market recorded the highest price since ISEM went live, at €3774/MWh, this was more than double the previous high the market had recorded. This resulted from SONI (System Operator in Northern Ireland) issuing an amber alert due to generation losses in NI. The alert was...