National Grid puts two coal units on standby but says keep using energy ‘as normal’

The National Grid has put two coal units on standby as snow blanketed the UK and temperatures plummeted to below freezing.

The energy supplier said it issued a notification to “two winter contingency” units in bid to “give the public confidence in Monday’s energy supply”.

In a message posted on Twitter, it said the notification is “not confirmation that these units will be used on Monday, but that they will be available to the ESO (Energy Supply Operator) if required.”

The National Grid called its supply network a “prudent system operator” which has tools like coal units as “additional contingency” to operate the network as normal”.

It urged the “public should continue to use energy as normal”.

This comes as the UK looks to secure its energy supply in wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which placed renewed pressure eon the price of oil and gas.

The UK’s issuing of new oil and gas licences, as well as the reopening of coal plants, has led to disruptive protests from environmental groups like Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion and Insuate Britain.