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UK's power imports hit all-time high as local plants shut down

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British power grid now depends heavily on European electricity through undersea cables‚ reaching record-breaking import levels in 2024. Local power station closures push UK to rely more on foreign energy sources

The UKʼs dependence on foreign electricity has reached new heights with record-breaking imports through under-sea cables (which now total 26.3 terawatt hours) from January to September this year

Main power comes from Franceʼs nuclear stations through recently-built connections: the one-gigawatt ElecLink and one-point-five gigawatt Viking Link to Denmark have boosted import capacity by 33%. A new five-hundred megawatt link to Ireland is coming up by dec-24

Tom Greatrex from the Nuclear Industry Association points to a growing issue:

We shouldnt have to rely on other countries to keep the lights on‚ and we certainly shouldnt leave our energy future up to their decisions

Nuclear Industry Association chief

The grid now depends on a mix of sources — gas plants wind farms and foreign power make up most of it. Winter supply planning shows interconnectors will provide 11% of peak-time power; thats almost triple compared to five years back

Recent events show system weak points: on oct-14 low wind output caused issues; and from 21 to early-23 a French connection worked at half-power due to fire damage. Energy consultant Kathryn Porter suggests that European countries might keep power for themselves when supplies are tight

The government wants Britain to be energy-independent by early-30s (with plans for clean power). However the energy watchdog Ofgem isnt supporting more connection projects; they found these links can push prices up in exporting countries

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