Power Failure
Lost in transmission
Posted on 03 Sep 25
by Mark Hodgson
In A Nation of Great Import I railed against the fact that for a few days in August, the UK regularly imported significant volumes of electricity via the interconnectors from the European mainland. This is despite the fact that one assumes those days are close to the optimum time for the UK’s electricity grid with its increasing reliance on electricity generated by so-called renewables (on- and off-shore wind turbines and solar panels). After all, this is a time of low demand (long hours of daylight, relatively warm) and optimum generating conditions (sun high in the sky for much of the day, no winter dunkelflautes to worry about). Why, then, do we find we are so heavily reliant on the interconnectors when in theory we should be enjoying the benefits of energy security that Mr Miliband keeps telling us about?
Let there be no doubt, we are dependent on the interconnectors. It is difficult to obtain detailed and up-to-date figures. Perhaps the Freedom of Information request (reference: FOI-2025-2880) directed to the Office for National Statistics was sent to the wrong office, but it did ask relevant questions:
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request the following information:
Statistical data on the volume and cost of electricity and gas imported into the UK over the past 12 months.
The average cost per kWh at which energy is imported and sold to UK energy suppliers.
Any available data on profit margins or mark-ups applied between import and resale.
A breakdown of energy sources (e.g., nuclear, gas, wind, solar) in the import and resale chain.
The response was rather disappointing:
https://cliscep.com/2025/09/03/power-failure/
