National Grid – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

National Grid unveils major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training

National Grid launches a new £5 million fund to help 5,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training get into work
Follows the Prime Minister’s reforms to ensure every young person has a clear route into skilled work and give technical education the respect it deserves
Fund will provide practical training, qualifications, mentoring, and skills support, including routes into careers in energy and infrastructure sectors
Supports PM’s ambition to rebuild the skilled workforce Britain needs to drive growth, support reindustrialisation and create opportunity across the country

National Grid has unveiled a major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training over the next five years, becoming one of the first major employers to respond to the Prime Minister’s drive to help more young people into work.

The new £5 million ‘Power Within Employability Fund’ will support up to 1,000 young people a year across the UK starting from the first half of next year, helping them develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to access long-term career opportunities, including across the energy and infrastructure sectors.

The announcement comes less than a week after the Prime Minister unveiled plans to put technical education on an equal footing with academic study, ending the outdated disparity between how vocational and academic pathways are treated, and ensuring every young person has a clear route from the classroom into skilled work.

The reforms are designed to rebuild the ladders of opportunity that once helped young people move from school into good local jobs. For too long, practical, and technical skills have been treated as a second class, despite growing demand for skilled workers in sectors that will power Britain’s future – from clean energy and advanced manufacturing to construction, engineering and the infrastructure projects that will help modernise the country.

Under the Prime Minister’s plans, employers, schools, colleges and local leaders will work much more closely together to ensure young people can develop the skills businesses need and access opportunities closer to home.

Rather than being designed solely in Westminster, these new technical pathways will be shaped around the industries driving growth in local communities and supporting the government’s mission to reindustrialise Britain and create opportunity in every part of the country.

National Grid’s new fund is one of the first major commitments from an employer to back the Prime Minister’s announcement and it builds on the growing movement of employers supporting young people into work.

By investing directly in training, qualifications and routes into employment, National Grid will help thousands of young people gain the skills, confidence and experience needed to move into work, while helping address skills shortages in sectors critical to Britain’s future and infrastructure.

The fund forms part of National Grid’s wider commitment to powering progress and opportunity in the communities it serves, while helping develop the skilled workforce needed to deliver the energy and infrastructure projects the country needs.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Last week, we announced fundamental reforms to the education system to ensure there’s parity between academic and technical routes – giving all young people the chance to a clear path in life.

“A key part of this is matching employers to young people to ensure they get the skills, technical knowledge and experience they need.

“National Grid’s announcement is exactly the kind of response we want to see. Not only are they powering our country every day, but they’re putting real energy behind helping thousands of young people gain skills, build confidence and take their first steps into work.

“We’re determined to fix the youth unemployment crisis and restore opportunity and hope across the country.”

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Demand for skilled workers in clean energy is growing thanks to our drive for clean power, which has attracted over £100 billion in private investment.

“Young people up and down the country will benefit from 400,000 extra clean energy jobs by the end of the decade, and we’re working closely with companies like National Grid to make sure people are trained up and taking advantage of these opportunities.”

Zoë Yujnovich, Chief Executive, National Grid, said: “I agree with the Prime Minister that too many young people are being left behind, unable to access the opportunities, skills and support they need to fulfil their potential.

“That’s why National Grid is launching a new £5 million fund to help around 5,000 young people not in education or work, to develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to build long-term careers.

“As the UK invests in the infrastructure needed for a more secure, more resilient and cleaner energy future, we will help thousands of young people build confidence, gain qualifications and take meaningful steps towards employment.

“By working with expert delivery partners, colleges and employers, we can shape pathways into rewarding careers while helping to strengthen the communities we serve.”

The programme will be delivered through specialist employment and skills partners, helping connect young people to opportunities across the UK and ensuring support is matched up with local needs.

The fund will invest in practical training, employability skills and qualifications to help participants overcome barriers to employment and build long-term careers.

National Grid’s £5 million fund will help participants access a range of support tailored to the needs of young people furthest from the labour market, including:

Practical support to access work, including help to gain a driving licence where transport is a barrier to employment opportunities.
Industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations, including Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards and other qualifications needed to access jobs across the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors.
Dedicated employability coaching and mentoring, providing one-to-one support to help young people build confidence, identify career goals and prepare for the workplace.
Job readiness and life skills training, including CV writing, interview preparation, communication skills, workplace behaviours and other support designed to help young people succeed in employment.
Direct links to employers and job opportunities across National Grid, its suppliers and the wider energy and infrastructure sector, creating clear pathways from training into work.
Access to real employment opportunities, including with National Grid and its UK supplier network.

National Grid’s commitment shows the difference employers can make when they work alongside local communities to create new opportunities for young people. Many businesses already play an important role in expanding opportunities for young people to get into work, but the Prime Minister has been clear that more needs to be done across the board to ensure every young person has a clear route from the classroom into a good job.

The government will continue working with employers, mayors and local leaders across the country to expand work experience, skills support and routes into work, and better connect young people to the industries driving growth in every part of the country. The reforms announced last week are the first step in rebuilding the ladders of opportunity and ensuring more young people can access the good jobs being created in their own communities.

Whether that’s advanced manufacturing in the North West, clean energy on the east coast, life sciences in the Midlands or creative industries in our cities, the Prime Minister’s reforms will help prepare young people for the future being built around them. As we reindustrialise our regions, new vocational and technical pathways will ensure growing local industries have the skilled workforce they need to succeed, strengthening local economies and helping make working people better off.

Gas supplies and soaring prices: UK Government explains all

The UK Government sets out the background to the issue of wholesale gas prices and the action the it is taking to protect the UK’s energy supply, industry, and consumers:

There has recently been widespread media coverage of wholesale gas prices, and the effect this could have on household energy bills. The impact on certain areas of industry, and its ability to continue production, has also attracted attention.

This explainer sets out the background to the issue and the action the government is taking to protect the UK’s energy supply, industry, and consumers.

Natural gas prices have been steadily rising across the globe this year for a number of reasons. This has affected Europe, including the UK, as well as other countries around the world.

We have a diverse range of gas supply sources, with sufficient capacity to more than meet demand. The UK’s gas system continues to operate reliably and we do not anticipate any increased risk of supply emergencies this winter.

Why are there high global gas prices?

The prices that are currently visible reflect the high value being placed on gas at the present time, with prices being determined by global supply and demand. They are not necessarily representative of pre-existing contracts and therefore do not apply to all of the gas being consumed in the UK this winter.

Current prices reflect a number of factors including:

as the world comes out of COVID-19 lockdowns and economies reopen, we are seeing an uptick in global gas demand this year. *combined with a cold winter (which has an impact on gas demand as gas is often used for heating homes) this has led to a much tighter gas market with less spare capacity
in particular, high demand in Asia for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), natural gas transported globally by ship, means less LNG than expected has reached Europe *some essential maintenance projects rescheduled from 2020 due to coronavirus coincided with necessary scheduled projects in 2021, while weather events in the US have adversely affected their LNG exports to Europe

How are high global gas prices impacting the UK?

The gas market is crucial to the UK’s energy supply because of its significance in heating, industry and power generation.

Over 22 million households are connected to the gas grid and in 2020, 38% of the UK’s gas demand was used for domestic heating, 29% for electricity generation and 11% for industrial and commercial use.

High gas wholesale prices have subsequently driven an increase in wholesale power prices this year.

In recent weeks, this trend has been exacerbated by the weather and planned maintenance at some power stations. This has resulted in unusually low margins for this time of year. These factors have combined to cause spikes in wholesale electricity prices, with a number of short-term markets trading at, or near, record levels.

While we are not complacent, we do not expect supply emergencies this winter.

Is our gas supply at risk?

The Great Britain (GB) gas system has delivered securely to date and is expected to continue to function effectively, with a diverse range of supply sources and sufficient delivery capacity to more than meet demand.

While our largest single source of gas supply continues to be the UK Continental Shelf (approximately 48% of total supply in 2020), the maturity of that source means we have to supplement supply from international markets.

Whilst the diversity of those international sources promotes our energy security, by reducing reliance on a particular source, the UK – as with other nations – is exposed to global trends in supply and demand which affect the price of gas traded at UK’s market hub (the National Balancing Point).

We have a wide range of supply sources including direct pipelines across the North Sea from Norway to the UK, our single biggest source of imports. We are also investing millions into scaling up strong renewable energy capacity and driving down demand for fossil fuels.

GB also has a number of gas storage facilities that act as a source of system flexibility when responding to short-run changes in supply and demand.

What is the government doing on this?

Energy security is an absolute priority for this government. The government works closely with the regulator and gas supply operators to monitor supply and demand.

While wholesale gas prices have increased internationally this year, the market continues to balance supply and demand through adjusting the prices at which energy trades take place. We have no reason to suggest this will not continue but will monitor the market.

National Grid Gas has a number of tools at its disposal to mitigate the risk of a gas supply emergency, including requesting additional gas supplies be delivered to the National Transmission System. Together with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), National Grid Gas has robust response plans in place in the unlikely event that risk should materialise. Read plans for network gas supply emergencies.

Will this affect energy bills?

The high wholesale gas prices that are currently visible may not be the actual prices being paid by all consumers.

This is because major energy suppliers purchase much of their wholesale supplies many months in advance, giving protection to them and their customers from short-term price spikes.

The Energy Price Cap is also in place to protect millions of customers from the sudden increases in global gas prices this winter. Despite the rising costs of wholesale energy, the cap still saves 15 million households up to £100 a year.

The current global wholesale gas price situation as set out above could have an effect on companies.

Companies without longer-term contracts may face higher costs, but we expect that companies with longer-term contracts in place may have little exposure to the current high wholesale prices. If there were an event where a supplier fails, Ofgem would work to ensure that customers are moved to a new supplier, so they are not without energy.

How is the government helping poorer households?

Our Energy Price Cap will protect millions of customers from the sudden increases in global gas prices this winter.

We are also supporting low income and fuel poor households with their energy bills in a number of ways which demonstrates the government’s commitment.

This includes through:

the Warm Home Discount which provides eligible households with a £140 discount
in addition, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months

Vulnerable people and anyone in financial distress during this time should talk to their energy supplier, who will be able to discuss personal circumstances and consider options to help, including reassessing, reducing or pausing payments. Emergency measures have been agreed between government and energy suppliers to support those most in need during the disruption caused by COVID-19, and this agreement remains in place this winter. Read details of the agreement.

As set out in the Energy white paper, we plan to extend the Warm Home Discount until 2026, increase it to £150, and help an extra 780,000 pensioners and low-income families with their energy bills. With a total of 2.7 million to get support, with the vast majority to receive the money back automatically, without having to apply as at present.

Cold Weather Payments provide vulnerable households on qualifying benefits with financial support when the weather has been, or is forecasted to be, unusually cold. £25 is available for eligible households for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

Business and Energy Secretary meets and energy industry chiefs

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng held a series of individual meetings with senior executives from the energy industry yesterday to discuss the impact of high gas prices, driven by international supply and demand factors.

During the calls, the Secretary of State was reassured that security of supply was not a cause for immediate concern within the industry. The UK benefits from having a diverse range of gas supply sources, with sufficient capacity to more than meet demand. As previously stated, the UK’s gas system continues to operate reliably and we do not anticipate any increased risk of supply emergencies this winter.

The Secretary of State stressed that energy security is an absolute priority for this government. We are confident that security of supply can be maintained under a wide range of scenarios. Great Britain also benefits from a diverse electricity mix, which is one of the reasons why we have one of the most reliable electricity systems in the world.

Whilst our largest single supply source of gas continues to be from domestic production – and the vast majority of imports come from reliable suppliers such as Norway – the UK’s exposure to volatile global gas prices underscores the importance of the government’s plan to build a strong, home-grown renewable energy sector to further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

The pressure being faced by some energy companies was also discussed during the meetings after four small suppliers ceased to trade in recent weeks. Ofgem has robust measures in place to ensure that customers do not need to worry, their needs are met, and their gas and electricity supply will continue uninterrupted if a supplier fails.

If the appointment of a Supplier of Last Resort is not possible, Ofgem and the Government have agreed processes in place to appoint a special administrator to temporarily run the business until such time as a new supplier can be found for the customers.

The Secretary of State also stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable customers during a time of heightened global gas prices. Government initiatives such as the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months. The Energy Price Cap is also in place to protect millions of customers from the sudden increases in global gas prices this winter.

The Business Secretary will be meeting with Ofgem this morning to discuss the issues raised by the industry in more detail, and on Monday he will convene a roundtable with industry to plan a way forward.

The Secretary of State is also working in contact with colleagues across government to manage the wider implications of the global gas price increase.

England match sees electricity use jump 1400MW

England v Denmark responsible for one of the biggest electricity pick-ups in modern times.
The Euro 2020 semi-final match saw a surge of 1400MW at half-time and 1300MW at full-time.
Pick-up for England-Germany round of 16 match was on a par with the 2011 Royal Wedding of William and Kate (1600MW)
England v West Germany 1990 (2,800MW) required just 200MW less than the 1999 Solar Eclipse.
OLBG reveals the top TV moments for electricity pick-up.

While football is on the brink of coming home (we’ll see! – Ed.), it is also producing record-breaking surges in electricity demand.

As the nation collectively sat down to watch England’s Euro 2020 semi-final match-up with Denmark on Wednesday night, demand for power skyrocketed by 1400MW at half-time and 1300MW at the end of 90 minutes, making it one of the biggest TV moments in terms of electricity pick-up in modern times.

Forecasts prior to the match suggested pick-up in the region of 1200MW, with millions of litres of water (via pumped storage) standing ready at Dinorwig, ready to be deployed in order for people to make their half-time cup of tea. And according to the grid’s control centre, ITV ad breaks only served to fuel movement at half-time.

Wednesday night’s pick-up was the same as the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia (also 1400MW), but on this occasion Gareth Southgate’s side went one step further.

Research by OLBG shows the England-West Germany match-up at the 1990 World Cup still accounts for the biggest sports-related pick-up, falling just 200MW short of the 1999 Solar Eclipse.

Rank	TV Moment	Date	Pick-up in MW
1	Solar Eclipse 1999	11/08/1999	3,000
2	England v West Germany – World Cup Semi-Final	04/07/1990	2,800
3	The Thorn Birds	22/01/1984	2,600
4	England v Brazil – World Cup quarter-final	21/06/2002	2,570
5	Nigeria v England – group match	12/06/2002	2,340
6	Eastenders: Lisa admits shooting Phil	05/04/2001	2,290
7	The Darling Buds Of May	12/05/1991	2,200
8	England v Australia – Rugby World Cup Final	22/11/2003	2,110
9	Argentina v England – FIFA World Cup round of 16	30/06/1998	2,100
10	Italy v Argentina – World Cup semi-final	03/07/1990	2,000
11	England v Portugal – World Cup quarter-final	01/07/2006	1,960
12	Sweden v England – World Cup group stage	20/06/2006	1,830
13	Juventus v Man Utd – UCL semi-final	21/04/1999	1,820
14	Wedding of Charles and Diana	29/07/1981	1,800
15	England v Ecuador – World Cup round of 16	25/06/2006	1,700
16	England v Germany – Euro 2020	29/06/2021	1,600
17	Royal Wedding – William & Kate	29/04/2011	1,600
18	England v Croatia – World Cup semi-final	11/07/2018	1,400
19	England v Sweden – World Cup quarter-final	07/07/2018	1,400
20	Rugby World Cup Final – England v South Africa	02/11/2019	1,300
21	England v Colombia – World Cup round of 16	03/07/2018	1,200
22	England v Ukraine – Euro 2020 quarter-final	03/07/2021	960
23	Clap for Carers	Various	800
24	England v West Germany – World Cup 1966	30/07/2021	600

The Three Lions’ quarter-final thrashing of Ukraine registered a 960MW pick-up at half-time, which was good enough for 22nd in our rankings – the equivalent of 190 million light bulbs, or 530,000 kettles. Demand waned as the result became clear, with 450MW required at full-time with fans drifting off.

Prior to that, a 55-year wait for a win over Germany at a major tournament ended with a 2-0 win for England in their round of 16 tie, with the national control room confirming a 1GW pick-up at half-time and 1.6GW at full-time, surpassing the grid operator’s best guess of 900MW beforehand. That is the equivalent of 320 million light bulbs, or 888,000 simultaneously boiling kettles.

Demand for electricity during England’s last 16 tie against Germany at Euro 2020

Geoff Hurst’s infamous hat-trick goal and the famous words “They think it’s all over … It is now!” in England’s last major tournament win in 1966 – a 4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley – accounted for a modest 600MW spike, while the regular Thursday night ‘Clap for Carers’ last year saw peak pick-up of 800MW.

Graph plotting demand during the infamous 1996 World Cup final

Britain’s electricity system operator – National Grid ESO – is tasked with matching the country’s supply and demand, second-by-second, making sure the lights – and televisions – stay on!

In fact record viewing figures for the four-hours-and-five-minutes broadcast on ITV were recorded, and those, along with the electricity pick-up are set to be surpassed for Sunday’s showpiece final when England take on Italy at Wembley.

Building New Futures: maybe this time?

Regeneration’s back on the agenda as conference hears of ‘growing optimism’

It was one of Europe’s most ambitious regeneration programmes – an opportunity to clean up a massive brownfield site, create new communities and link Edinburgh’s city centre with the sea. Hotels, new homes, schools and small businesses were to be built on the old industrial waterfront, all served by a modern, efficient tram network. There was even talk of a floating island – but then came the recession …

That was six years ago, but the economy is recovering at last and there’s growing optimism that Edinburgh’s waterfront can now fulfil it’s undoubted potential.

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and local community councils organised a community conference at Edinburgh College on Granton’s waterfront last weekend to inform local residents about what’s happening now and what plans are in place to regenerate the waterfront area. Around sixty delegates attended the ‘Buiding New Futures’ event and heard speakers outline plans that could see North Edinburgh transformed over the coming years.

It’s well known that Edinburgh has a severe housing shortage, and with growing pressure on Edinburgh’s cherished green belt the opportunity to build new homes on brownfield sites must be seized. Speakers from National Grid and the city council outlined plans to build thousands of new homes along the waterfront, and highlighted prospects of local employment opportunities as the regeneration gathers momentum.

A major house building initiative is already well underway in the area: as part of the 21st Century Homes programme, the Council is about to let their first new homes in a generation. Work is also underway on the former Craigroyston High School site which will form the first phase of plans to build over 700 new homes for sale and rent over the next eight to ten years in Pennywell and Muirhouse.

People living in these new homes will need services, of course, and health provision in the area is already under strain. NHS Lothian Partnership Development Manager Steven Whitton outlined the latest plans for a major new health facility, the North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre – that’s only a working title, mind, there’s got to be a catchier name than that!

The £12m Centre in Pennywell (above) will focus on child health and family support services and will house a new GP surgery, community nursing and midwifery services, dentistry, podiatry, physiotherapy and child health services. The centre will also provide facilities for social work and some voluntary sector organisations and is expected to open in September 2016.

Given the sheer scale of the regeneration project – the many different elements of the area’s development and the number of partner organisations involved – it was impossible to cover all aspects in minute detail, but the conference provided a timely update to local residents and Forth Neighbourhood Partnership plans to work with the local community councils to ensure that neighbourhoods are kept informed and involved as work progresses.

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership’s chairperson Councillor Cammy Day (pictured above) said: “I was pleased to see a great turnout at the event, and the diverse groups of people who are keen to take part in shaping their new and existing neighbourhoods.

“The conference provided a fantastic opportunity for the community to get to know more about regeneration taking place and to meet with key landowners and developers. This is not just about much-needed affordable homes, but the creation of jobs and training opportunities, leisure facilities and attracting investment into this area.

“This event isn’t a one-off either, I will be establishing a local development group where the community, council, developers and landowners in Granton Waterfront can get around the table, discuss plans at an early stage to shape and influence proposals, where possible, to meet our needs. It was a great start to what I hope will be a long-term partnership between the community and all those involved in regenerating this part of North Edinburgh.”

West Pilton & West Granton community councillor Willie Black, who was involved in organising the event, said: “The conference gave the community the opportunity to hear all the major players outline their plans for the regeneration of the waterfront and beyond – and to have their say. Everyone who was there though it was useful, but where now? A new regeneration forum group is to be set up and over the next few weeks community organisations will be invited to join and help build on the conference.”

Granton Improvement Society’s Barbara Robertson said: “Our stall attracted a lot of interest, particularly in the proposed Garden Festival and artisans’ village, and we’re pleased Cammy supports our project and wants to see it included in the area’s regeneration. The success of the conference showed the enthusiasm of the community to be involved in planning the regeneration of their area and paved the way for a new forum for the community to have their say.”

Some cynics will say ‘we’ve heard it all before’, but what about the next generation? Members of North Edinburgh’s Young People’s Forum attended the event and their feedback was very positive. Among their comments: ‘Feels like most of us if not all of us now know more about what is happening in the area’, ‘it’d be great to have more events like this to feed back on plans and what has been done’ and ‘feel more involved in what is happening and with what is going on in the area’. One suggested: ‘it would be good to say what has been done in relation to what the community has asked for – like a ‘you said – we did’ kind of thing’. Oh, and not so many big words next time please!

Building New Futures? Maybe this time …

Granton gasometer to go?

National Grid has lodged another application to demolish the last remaining Granton gasometer, and company representatives will attend a public meeting organised by Granton and District Community Council to discuss the proposals next week.

The meeting will be held on Monday (25 February) from 7 – 9pm in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. All welcome.

Do you care about the Granton gasometer? Is it an important reminder of Granton’s industrial heritage or a rusting, dangerous heap of scrap metal? Let us know!