Environment

Risk of UK power cuts this winter has increased, says National Grid

The risk of power cuts to factories and homes this winter has increased, the National Grid warned, as the business secretary prepared for a crunch meeting with industry bosses concerned the energy crisis may force them to scale back production.

The price of gas and electricity has soared in recent weeks, leading to the collapse of multiple energy suppliers and prompting warnings of higher costs for consumers, factory shutdowns and increased pollution as plants switch to dirtier but cheaper fuels.

The unfolding energy crisis has coincided with the Grid’s annual assessment of Great Britain’s resilience to disruption to electricity supplies, with the key “margin” figure falling to its lowest in five years.

The Grid’s electricity system operator (ESO) said the amount of reserve electricity supply that could be called upon was expected to be 6.6% of demand, but could fall as low as 4.2%.

It said it believed there was enough slack in the system to avoid blackouts affecting households and factories.

But it said that conditions had worsened since a prediction it made in July, after a fire knocked out a high-voltage subsea power cable importing electricity from France. Half of the 2GW cable is expected to be unavailable until March.

Planned shutdowns at gas plants and the retirement of two nuclear reactors are also factors in the tighter margin for the winter.

The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, is due to meet leaders from industries such as steel, glass, ceramics and chemicals on Friday, but is expected to tell them to forget about receiving any extra assistance.

While factories are not expected to face electricity blackouts, they say they need help with costs. Some of the most energy-intensive industries have issued a plea to the government for financial support to help them cope with soaring energy prices.

They say the cost of electricity could force factory shutdowns, production slowdowns, and switches from gas to more polluting energy sources such as fuel oil, potentially causing embarrassment ahead of the upcoming Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Shadow business minister Ed Miliband said the gas price crisis was “made in Downing Street”.

“The UK is particularly vulnerable to increases in gas prices because the government allowed our gas storage facilities to close, blocked onshore wind, cut solar subsidies, stalled our nuclear programme and because of their total failure to deliver a long-term plan for energy efficiency.”

On Thursday, the Grid said that the UK would have to outbid European countries to get hold of gas over the winter, indicating further pressure on prices.

Energy advisory group Cornwall Insight has said the average dual fuel bill could rise by as much as 30% next year if gas and electricity prices continue to soar and more suppliers go bust, reaching £1,660 annually.

While the government has imposed an energy price cap, the ceiling rises regularly in line with costs faced by suppliers, who have been battered by soaring wholesale prices.

So far this year, 12 suppliers have collapsed, with many more predicted to go to the wall by the end of the year. Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of energy regulator Ofgem, told an industry conference on Thursday that the watchdog needed to be “more focused on business models and the risk they carry” in future.

Speaking at the same event, Kwarteng said the government “will not bail out failed companies, there cannot be a reward for irresponsible management of businesses.”

Some small suppliers have been criticised for setting up shop with risky business models that meant they weren’t properly “hedged” against rising gas prices.

Officials at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are understood to be considering measures to speed up the UK’s transition to renewable energy to reduce reliance on gas, including more frequent windfarm auctions.

Boris Johnson this week pledged to remove fossil fuels from electricity generation by 2035.

While coal has been all but phased out of power generation, gas can still account for more than 50% of supply on windless days when the sun isn’t shining.

Kwarteng said on Thursday that reducing reliance would involve boosting wind power, gas plants that use carbon capture and storage to reduce carbon emissions and “at least” one nuclear project.

The government is expected to rubber-stamp French state-owned energy company EDF’s plans for a the Sizewell C reactor in Suffolk but has yet to find a developer for Wylfa Newydd, on Anglesey.

Officials are drawing up plans to overhaul the way nuclear power stations are funded, to make them more attractive to private investors.

Kwarteng said “the volatility of the gas price has shown that we do need to plan strategically, and I think net zero helps us do that, for a secure, affordable, and sustainable energy system.”

Gas prices have soared across Europe but have been particularly high in the UK, reaching record levels above £4 per therm.

The International Energy Agency said on Thursday that Russia could help ease the crisis, telling the Financial Times that the Kremlin was able to increase gas flows into Europe by up to 15%.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has said Europe’s “mistakes” are to blame for the crisis, rather than any reluctance in Moscow to open gas taps.

However, he used the opportunity to highlight regulatory delays in Europe to the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline, saying the planned connection could help bring down prices.

Environment

NiMet forecasts 3-day thunderstorms starting Thursday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast thundery weather conditions nationwide from Thursday to Saturday.

In its weather outlook released on Wednesday, NiMet predicted morning thunderstorms in the northern region on Thursday.

The agency expects thunderstorms to affect parts of Taraba, Adamawa, and Kaduna states, as well as areas in Zamfara, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kebbi states later in the day.

In the North Central region, morning thunderstorms are expected in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, and Benue States, with thunderstorms anticipated over most areas later in the day.

In the southern region, NiMet forecasts morning thunderstorms in parts of Ebonyi and Enugu States, with widespread thunderstorms expected later in the day.

“For Friday, in the northern region, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Taraba State in the morning hours. During the afternoon/evening hours, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Kaduna, Kebbi, Taraba and Adamawa States.

“In the North Central region, there are prospects of thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kwara, Benue and Nasarawa States during the morning hours.

“Also in the afternoon into evening hours, thunderstorms are expected over most parts of the region,” it said.

According to NiMet, thunderstorms are expected in parts of Abia, Imo, Enugu, Oyo, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States during the morning hours, with widespread thunderstorms anticipated later in the day.

On Saturday, the agency predicts morning thunderstorms in parts of Taraba and Adamawa States in the northern region, followed by thunderstorms over parts of Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Taraba, and Adamawa States later in the day.

In the central region, NiMet forecasts thunderstorms in the morning for the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kwara, Benue, and Nasarawa States, with additional thunderstorms expected over parts of Plateau and Nasarawa States later.

Overall, the agency anticipates thunderstorms across most areas in the southern region during both morning and evening hours.

“High likelihood of urban flooding in major cities due to heavy downpours. Residents are advised to avoid flood-prone areas.

”Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur, public should take adequate precaution.

“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities. Public and Airline operators are advised to get updated weather reports and forecasts from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.”

The agency urged residents to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet and visit the agency’s website www.nimet.gov.ng.

Environment

300 environmental offenders sanctioned by Kwara Govt

About 300 environmental offenders were sanctioned on Saturday by the Kwara State Government for violating the environmental law of the state.

They were arrested and prosecuted before various mobile courts during the monthly sanitation exercise held at the weekend across the state.

The state government, however, commended residents of the state for compliance towards the successful monthly sanitation exercise held on Saturday, within and outside the state capital.

The Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa-Buge, gave the commendation in Ilorin while fielding questions from journalists, at the check point, along Lagos road, immediately after the exercise.

“Let me use this medium to express our delight with an increase in the level of compliance, by the good people of Kwara State, towards the successful sanitation exercise, most especially, the metropolis. I urge you all to sustain the tempo.”

The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Abubakar Ayinla, appreciated the mobile courts Judges, monitoring and security agents, transport unions and relevant bodies, for their steadfastness in the discharge of their duties.

She implored the people, to strictly adhere to the three hours sanitation exercise, scheduled for the cleaning their residential and business environments, in order to sustain clean and safe environment, for a healthy living, according to a statement by the press secretary of the ministry, Kamaldeen Aliagan in Ilorin on Sunday.

Environment

NiMet predicts 3-day thunderstorms from Monday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has predicted thunderstorms from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged localised thunderstorms over parts of Kebbi and Zamfara states in the northern region during the morning hours.

According to NiMet, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Zamfara, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kebbi, Adamawa, and Taraba states during the afternoon and evening hours.

In the North Central region, the agency said localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Niger and Kwara states during the morning hours.

It added that later in the day, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, and Plateau states.

NiMet further stated that localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, and Ondo states in the southern cities during the morning hours.

The agency anticipated localised thunderstorms over parts of Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Imo, Enugu, Ekiti, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Lagos, and Akwa Ibom states later in the day.

For Tuesday morning, NiMet said localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states in the northern region.

It forecast localised thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Borno and Gombe states later in the day.

According to NiMet, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau and Nasarawa states during the morning hours.

In the afternoon and evening hours, it predicted localised thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Niger states.

In the southern cities, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Delta, Edo, and Ondo states during the morning hours.

Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

The agency predicted morning localised thunderstorms over parts of Kaduna, Zamfara, and Kebbi states in the northern region on Wednesday.

It envisaged localised thunderstorms over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Kano states.

In the North Central region, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi states in the morning hours.

Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Niger, the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Benue states.

Localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states in the southern cities during the morning hours,” the agency said.

According to the agency, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Bayelsa states later in the day.

NiMet urged residents to avoid flood-prone areas as there could be a high likelihood of urban flooding in major cities due to heavy downpours and strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur.

It urged the public to stay informed through its weather updates.

It also advised airline operators to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.