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UK Grid Operator Issues Rare Evening Call for Extra Power During Heatwave

Neso says extreme heat is driving up demand and cutting some generation, tightening margins and prompting a time-limited request for extra supply.

Overview

  • The National Energy System Operator issued an electricity margin notice for Thursday evening between 6.30pm and 10.30pm, asking generators and flexibility providers to make extra capacity available.
  • Neso warned its forecasts show tight margins for the peak period and reported a developing supply gap of roughly 1.2 gigawatts that it wants industry to close.
  • The operator stressed the notice does not mean blackouts are imminent and that similar June callouts were cancelled once margins improved.
  • Low wind output, reported around 6.6 percent of the mix, and reduced nuclear exports from France because cooling waters have warmed have increased reliance on gas, domestic nuclear and imports.
  • The episode highlights a growing pattern of summer grid stress as extreme heat raises air‑conditioning use and reduces generation efficiency, a trend that could make short, targeted margin notices more common.