[unnamed journalist]
The absurd attempt to minimise the Great Power Cut of August 9 continues,
because the truth undermines the Green Dogma swallowed whole by our
government and most media. We are seriously supposed to believe it was
caused by lightning, which strikes power cables all the time.
My own research suggest it has more to do with the self-harming policy of
scrapping reliable, heavy duty coal and gas generators. These provide a
stabilising force known as ‘inertia’ and can sustain power even if the
system comes under stress.
Wind power, unreliable at all times, lacks this inertia. So does the power
we suck into Britain through undersea cables from nuclear France, nuclear
Belgium and the largely fossil fuel-powered Netherlands.
The Dutch may soon be a less reliable source of power as they have adopted
the same mad anti-coal policies we follow.
The first official report from the National Grid ESO admits this: ‘Wind
generation, solar and interconnectors are different to the conventional
electricity generation sources, in that they do not provide much inertia.
Today, we operate the system with lower levels of inertia than we have in
the past.’
How very true. There has been a frantic campaign to destroy coal-fired
generation, with perfectly sound stations closed down and irrevocably blown
up (why not at least mothball them?)
But what for? On its own terms, the policy is futile. China’s existing
coal-fired generation stations have a capacity of 993 gigawatts (GW) of
power. Plans are well underway to increase this by 259GW – a total of
1525GW. India, rapidly expanding, is also increasing coal generation and
last March reached 200GW.
The UK’s anti-coal purge will eventually total about 40GW – tiny compared
with China’s expansion. If the warmists are right about climate change, we
could close every coal and gas station and it would make no difference to
the impact of Chinese and Indian coal-burning. We would just spend longer
in the dark.
We are like a thirsty man refusing to take a drink from the tap, because of
a water shortage, while his local water company leaves thousands of leaks
unrepaired, allowing thousands of gallons to drain away each hour. It is a
futile, self-harming gesture. Is there anyone in our political system
prepared to end it? Or must we get used to power cuts?
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