Tag: power

Meet the linesman working on live power lines and keeping customers on supply

Award-winning TV presenter and broadcaster Jennifer Reoch has joined forces once again with SP Energy Networks to spotlight the storm heroes – dedicated teams who work tirelessly each winter to keep the power flowing.

This year, Jennifer visited a live work site in Dumfries and Galloway to meet the specialist Live Line Hands On team, highly trained linesmen who carry out essential maintenance and repairs on overhead power lines without switching off the electricity supply.

Working at height and often in the aftermath of severe storms, the team use specialist access equipment along with insulated gloves & sleeves which enable them to carry out works while homes and businesses remain connected during the harshest winter conditions.

Winter storms and extreme weather can cause significant damage to power lines, making it essential for SP Energy Networks’ teams to be ready to respond quickly to keep disruption to a minimum. The Live Line Hands On team play a vital role in that effort, repairing faults while the network stays live, helping to reduce power outages and disruptions for local communities.

This marks the second year Jennifer has partnered with the UK’s leading electricity network operator to celebrate its Storm Shielders. During her visit, Jennifer experienced first-hand how SP Energy Networks supports communities in preparing for extreme weather and saw the skill and resilience required to keep the power flowing and the lights on.

Jennifer said of the campaign: “Winter weather can be demanding and unpredictable, and it’s easy to overlook the work happening behind the scenes to keep our electricity supply running 24/7. Spending the day with the Live Line Hands On team gave me a rare insight into the specialist work the team carry out in tough winter conditions to keep the power flowing.

“What struck me most is the Storm Shielders’ commitment to the communities they serve, going above and beyond to keep people safe and supported when the weather is at its worst.”

Jennifer is fronting a new series of videos with SP Energy Networks’ Storm Shielders, taking viewers behind the scenes to celebrate these unsung heroes. The series will shine a spotlight on the people, technology, and teamwork that keeps electricity running through the most challenging winter weather.

Stuart McConnachie, District General Manager at SP Energy Networks, added: “Our customers are at the centre of everything we do, and the Live Line Hands On team are dedicated to ensuring repairs to power lines are made without any disruption. We were delighted to have Jennifer join us for a day on site to meet our Storm Shielders and see the important work they do, much of which many people may not realise is happening behind the scenes.

“Spotlighting the tireless work our teams do is important because it shows the commitment that goes into keeping communities connected. We encourage customers to follow our top tips to make sure they’re ready for whatever winter brings, and to know what to do if the power does go out.”

SP Energy Networks’ top tips for staying safe in the unlikely event of a power cut include:

  • Ensure you store a battery-powered or wind-up torch in an easily accessible location so you can use it to check the fuse box and navigate around your home safely.
  • Power lines may fall because of stormy weather so beware of this when venturing out of your home. Always treat them as live, stay away and report them right away by calling 105.
  • Having your mobile phone charged means you can give SP Energy Networks a call on the national 105 emergency helpline. Please don’t assume we know if your power is out, so call us right away.
  • If your power does go out, your heating might not work, so keep extra blankets nearby and close window shutters, blinds or curtains to help keep the heat in.
  • Teams work around the clock to restore electricity as quickly as possible but customers who feel they need extra support may be eligible for the Priority Services Register. Visit the SP Energy Networks website or call 0330 10 10 167 for more information.
  • Make sure we have up-to-date contact details for you, so we can keep in touch with you as appropriate.

Politics, Protest and Power: Political Theatre at this year’s Fringe

This August, theSpaceUK presents a provocative and powerful programme of political theatre that tackles urgent issues with creativity, wit and fire.

From global crises to local unrest, these bold productions interrogate the systems we live in and ask: how did we get here – and where do we go next?

Politics in America – Up Close and Personal

Gun control, community trauma, and the fragility of democracy come to the fore in Acts of Kindness, a compelling docudrama from University of Redlands. Inspired by real interviews in El Paso following a devastating mass shooting, it’s a raw and humane portrait of a divided America, where stories of resilience illuminate the possibility of healing.

Meanwhile, Atomic Cabaret, a nuclear-age musical from Lynda Williams (AKA The Physics Chanteuse), delivers a subversive and hilarious takedown of atomic politics, blending science, satire and showtunes in a benefit for Scottish CND. Expect sass, smarts – and maybe even a Nobel Prize shout-out.

Generational Voices and Local Resistance

Burnley is the backdrop for Buried, a visceral piece from FirstByte Theatre, where young people grapple with political apathy, collapsing futures, and the fight to be heard. Across generations, timelines fracture and converge as they ask: when did it all go wrong? Dissonance by Lund finds its conflict closer to home – a school music club forced to reckon with the politics of their performance. Through live music and sharp dialogue, it’s a fresh take on belief, conformity, and what happens when youth hits a moral fork in the road.

History, Legacy and Living With the Past

In Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary), Sam Sherman conjures conversations with his WWII veteran grandfather – and a mischievous Yiddish creature – to reflect on resistance, family, and inherited courage. In UNCLE TOM’S WAR: Haiti and the Whipping Machine, David Lee Morgan turns revolutionary history into blistering spoken word, connecting past uprisings to the fight for freedom today. Expect rage, humour, and poetry with a political punch.

Modern Power and Political Parody

For those drawn to the theatrical absurdity of real-life government, The General Will is a tragicomic fever dream of political theatre. Think clowns in crisis, Gen-Z disillusionment, and a Prime Minister in freefall.

Equally sharp, Yellow reimagines Twelfth Night’s Malvolio as a disgraced spin doctor, exploring the murky ethics of ambition and spin. Written by a senior political insider, it’s a biting look at the compromise of ideals in today’s corridors of power.

In Picking Up Stones: An American Jew Wakes to a Nightmare, Sandra Laub delivers a powerful solo performance that wrestles with identity, grief and conscience in the wake of October 7th.

Through a tapestry of voices – from Golda Meir to a Palestinian mother – Laub navigates the complexities of Zionism, liberalism and loss. Honest, human and unflinchingly personal, it’s a courageous call for understanding in a world too often defined by division.

Dystopias, Dilemmas and Difficult Questions

Set in a near future where climate catastrophe has redrawn the rules, The Trials (Bede’s Company) asks a chilling question: who deserves to survive? This abridged version of Dawn King’s play is performed with taut urgency by a cast that delivers both passion and precision.

In Loveless, Tapped Theatre dissects modern intimacy, misogyny and online culture in a surreal, episodic satire that is as disturbing as it is funny – a warped mirror to our digital lives and relationships.

Urgent, fearless and fiercely creative, political theatre at theSpaceUK is essential Fringe viewing.

World’s largest power line to deliver clean power to 1.8m UK homes

‘we are sending a strong signal to Putin’s Russia that the days of his dominance over global power markets are well and truly over’ – Grant Shapps

  • LionLink power line between UK and Netherlands will deliver enough electricity to power more homes than Manchester and Birmingham combined
  • Agreement made as Grant Shapps leads delegation of leading businesses to key North Sea Summit
  • Part of renewed Government drive to work with business to help grow the economy

The world’s largest multi-use electricity power line will be built under the North Sea, boosting UK energy supplies with enough to power 1.8 million homes – more than Birmingham and Manchester combined.

The new LionLink will connect the UK and the Netherlands with offshore wind farms, providing clean affordable and secure energy to Britain which will help cut household bills and drive Putin’s Russia further out of the energy market.

The cross-border electricity line will be only the second of its kind in the world, with the first having been built by Germany and Denmark. However, it will be able to carry more than four times the amount of electricity as its predecessor – making it the largest of its kind in terms of capacity anywhere in the world.

While normal interconnectors only connect two countries, the multipurpose LionLink will join the UK and Netherlands to each other as well as simultaneously with offshore wind farms at the heart of the North Sea.

The government is announcing the innovative project between the UK and the Netherlands as Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps leads a British business delegation to the crucial North Sea Summit in Belgium today, aiming to boost our collective energy security through new renewable energy and interconnector projects.

This is part of the government’s efforts to work with business to grow the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities. Boosting clean energy not only helps create better paid jobs across the country but also strengthens economic security by reducing reliance on foreign gas supplies.

The summit will see nine countries meet in Ostend to agree ambitions for building future offshore wind farms. While there, the Energy Security Secretary is also expected to sign a historic agreement with Denmark to boost trade in cheaper, cleaner energy.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Today’s historic deal with the Netherlands connects our two countries together through this exciting feat of innovation and engineering – the largest of its kind in the world which will provide enough electricity for more homes than in Manchester and Birmingham combined.

“Together with the strong ties we have with our northern European neighbours united today at the North Sea Summit, we are bolstering our energy security and sending a strong signal to Putin’s Russia that the days of his dominance over global power markets are well and truly over.

“I’m proud to have the best of UK energy firms and organisations with me, flying the flag for British business and demonstrating our world-leading expertise in cleaner, cheaper and secure renewable technologies – helping deliver on one of our five priorities to grow the economy.”

Ben Wilson, President National Grid Ventures, said: “Connecting wind farms to multiple markets simultaneously is a game changer for energy infrastructure and brings us one step closer to realising the enormous green energy potential of the North Sea.

“Not only can we deploy every spare electron where it is needed most, we can help to reduce the impact of infrastructure on coastal communities.

“We now need the right political, legal and regulatory framework to make it happen and establish a mutually beneficial North Sea grid to deliver a cleaner, fairer, more secure and more affordable energy future for British and European consumers.”

The countries attending today’s summit alongside the UK are Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands

The new LionLink will carry 1.8GW of electricity, compared to Germany and Denmark’s Kassø-Frøslev (Kriegers Flag), which carries 0.4GW.  It will be developed by National Grid Ventures and TenneT and will be operational by the early 2030s.

This builds on the 8.4GW interconnector capacity that the UK has – and LionLink alone will increase that by up to a fifth, meaning more clean and affordable power for UK homes and businesses.

This increased interconnectivity also means LionLink will be good both for the UK’s coastal communities and the environment by reducing the need for further onshore construction and visible infrastructure, as well as lessening the impact on the North Sea’s wildlife.

Britain’s world-class innovation, knowledge and skills within the North Sea energy sector is expected to bring £20 billion a year of investment to the UK’s coastal regions and create 40,000 skilled green jobs to Britain.

Manon van Beek, CEO of TenneT, said: “It is our conviction that offshore hubs configured in a meshed DC grid must form the backbone of the North Sea powerhouse.

“This is a view that is increasingly shared, and for us, it is more than a vision of the future. In fact, we are already doing it by kicking off this ground-breaking LionLink project right now. It is a first step and a great opportunity to learn as the offshore grid takes shape.”

Minister Rob Jetten, Climate & Energy for the Netherlands: “With the North Sea becoming the largest supplier of green electricity for the Netherlands and large parts of Europe, we are ready to expand the interconnection between the two countries. LionLink provides close to 2 gigawatts of electricity to both countries, enough to power 2 million households.

“This new connection further boosts energy security and energy independence in Europe. Close collaboration on offshore wind energy and interconnection amongst the North Sea countries is imperative.

“So in case there is a surplus of wind generated electricity, it can be shared instantly to locations with a shortage of power, and vice versa.”

The Energy Security Secretary is also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Denmark today, which will ensure further collaboration on the transition from fossil fuels to renewable technologies –offshore wind, especially.

UK’s leading energy switchers revealed

New figures released today by the Energy Switch Guarantee reveal that Yorkshire is home to the savviest energy customers in the UK. The figures show the number of households in each UK Parliamentary constituency that have switched electricity supplier between September 2016 and August 2017. Continue reading UK’s leading energy switchers revealed

50% off offshore wind power in just two years

Latest Government figures, published by BEIS and National Grid, have shown that the price paid for electricity from offshore wind farms has dropped by more than 50% in just two years. Surpassing all expectations, Offshore wind is now the lowest cost option for large-scale, low-carbon power.

The UK’s offshore wind sector has transformed over the last decade. Government support, huge strides in home-grown innovation and increases in both turbine efficiency and blade sizes, have placed the UK as number one, globally, for installed capacity.

Wind turbines have more than doubled their power capacity since 2007. The current generation of 8MW turbines have 260 foot blades, spanning an area the size of the London Eye. With a single rotation, these blades generate enough energy to power a home for 24 hours. By the mid-2020s turbine capacities are set to double again, reaching 15MW. These advances in turbine technology are a big part of what has driven recent reductions in costs per megawatt hour.

Offshore wind farms can be built in just two or three years, minimising the risk of cost overruns and ensuring that technological advances are adopted quickly.

The sector is already delivering thousands of jobs in regions of the UK with some of the highest unemployment figures. UK offshore wind is also attracting billions in foreign investment, and securing hundreds of international contracts for British companies. Future growth potential is enormous as the global market is set to boom over the next decade.

The UK needs a growing supply of affordable and secure energy. At this record low price, offshore wind power is a great deal for UK energy.

Footage of actress Emma Thomson explaining the significance of this moment is available at https://we.tl/LPF4xnJ5zw

Matthew Wright, Managing Director for DONG Energy UK, said: “This is a breakthrough moment for offshore wind in the UK and a massive step forward for the industry. Not only will Hornsea Project Two provide low cost, clean energy to the UK, it will also deliver high quality jobs and another huge boost to the UK supply chain.

“Successive governments deserve great credit for providing the certainty for continued investment in offshore wind, enabling it to become the thriving renewable industry it is today. Costs are falling rapidly, long-term and highly-skilled jobs are being created across the North of England and the UK supply chain is going from strength to strength. We’re now really seeing the benefits of this commitment to offshore wind and there is still so much more to come. Indeed, it has the potential to play a key part in the realisation of the UK’s industrial strategy.”

Jonathan Cole, Managing Director for Offshore Wind at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “These ongoing cost reductions show that offshore wind is in pole position to be the foremost low carbon power source, with the UK as the global market leader. A strong offshore wind sector powers our economy with reliable and affordable clean power. It is creating highly-skilled jobs in industrial and coastal communities that will really benefit from such significant investments.”

Paul Cooley, SSE’s Director of Generation Development, said: “As a UK-based energy company, SSE is proud to be investing in much needed energy infrastructure that contributes to UK growth. With offshore wind becoming an affordable form of large-scale, low-carbon energy, we believe that the UK as a whole will benefit from these cost reductions.

“Investment in offshore wind creates opportunities to develop the wider UK supply chain and brings value to local economies and local communities. Already Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited has helped foster UK and Scottish supply chains for the offshore sector and has had a positive impact on local lives and livelihoods. We aim to deliver the same again through both the Dogger Bank and Seagreen offshore wind projects and hope that similar economic benefits will be replicated across the UK offshore wind industry.”

Piers Guy, UK Country Manager, Vattenfall, said: “We believe offshore wind has a big role to play in delivering low cost, competitive, fossil-fuel free power as the UK transitions to the smart, clean, cheap energy system of the future. Today’s auction result sees offshore wind continue on its dramatic cost reduction pathway, whilst providing great prospects for the tens of thousands of British workers in the industry. Vattenfall is investing in UK offshore wind for the long term and we are confident that our Norfolk Vanguard, Norfolk Boreas and Thanet Extension projects will be even more competitive than today’s successful projects.”

Hannah Martin, Head of Energy at Greenpeace UK, said: “This record breaking price drop from offshore wind marks a huge moment for the UK energy sector. The price of offshore wind power is 50% cheaper than just two years ago, this means we are witnessing a revolution in UK energy.

“Offshore wind already powers 4 million homes in the UK, and will power more than 8 million by 2020. It has also created jobs, regional development and export opportunities. And official polls show that 80% of people are in favour of offshore wind. The government needs to seize the opportunities of this great deal, which they themselves have helped to create.”

 

Letter: Give us the power!

Dear Editor

There can be very few households in the UK who are not worried by their gas and electricity bills. The advice usually given is to shop around for lower tariffs, but this is no permanent solution. The absolute necessity for everyone to afford adequate fuel supplies is overwhelming but it seems that a few major suppliers have a near monopoly on the industry – and have been making millions of pounds profit.

Just a few examples:

£139 million Scottish Gas, February 2015

£549 million SSE, November 2015

£528 million British Gas (first six months 2015)

£860 million EDF, February 2014

£1.5 BILLION Southern Electric, Jan 2014

And yet there are perhaps millions of people who cannot afford adequate heating!

By any measure, this situation cannot go on like this in the 21st Century. As an essential necessity energy supplies MUST become  publicly-owned industries, working in the interests of everyone; profits made not for private individuals or groups of investors but used to reduce prices and to maintain efficient industries.

Energy supplies must be seen as important to the people of the UK as the NHS has proved to be. Maximum unity of working people is needed to press for these vital public services: it is up to us.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens