Potential scenarios – including the electricity bill – will be tackled over four days, instead of the usual two, as part of the ‘Exercise Degree’. “The aim of this exercise is to demonstrate that the natural gas industry is prepared and able to meet its obligations in the event of a Network Gas Emergency (NGSE),” a briefing document from National Grid said. It will take place on September 13 and 14, as well as October 4 and 5. Cost of living latest: Energy price cap to rise to £3,554 a year this week The annual operation, last year called “Exercise Celcius”, took place over just two days in September 2021. National Grid said arrangements for this year’s exercise were made in January. An industry source told Sky News that the doubling of planning days should not cause undue concern to the public, but has been extended due to the new problems the UK is now facing – such as the war with Ukraine affecting global supplies. “Hopefully this exercise will mean we cover all these new scenarios and be better prepared for winter,” they said. Natural gas supplies, they said, were expected to remain stable throughout the winter with household power cuts “highly unlikely”. “The closest we got to that was during Beast from the East, but even then we were just starting to talk to trading partners about scaling back.” A central control room will work through different scenarios the UK could face, to ensure the country is prepared. But any issues with natural gas supplies will not happen suddenly, the industry expert said. “Gas moves at speed,” he said. No need to panic, says Downing Street A National Grid spokesman said: “Exercise Degree is the latest in a long series of annual exercises dating back to 1996 when the role of Network Emergency Coordinator was created. “The exercises enable participants in the National Gas Network, government and industry to test the effectiveness of emergency arrangements across the industry to prevent and (if unavoidable) respond to a gas supply emergency. “The Network Emergency Coordinator has a duty to provide assurances to the HSE about the effectiveness of these arrangements. Pre-winter exercises are held each year before winter and have become a routine part of the energy industry’s annual calendar. The arrangements for the exercise The degrees took place in January 2022”. Subscribe to the Daily Podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker But it comes as No 10 insists there is no need to panic about energy supplies and said households and businesses will not experience blackouts this winter thanks to supplies from Australia. The Attalos tanker is due to arrive at the Isle of Grain terminal in Kent, on the Thames Estuary, later on Monday – it is believed to be the first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) sent from Australia to Europe in six years. A squeeze on gas supplies in Europe has helped push up inflation and push up household bills, with analysts expecting the energy price cap to rise to £3,554 in October. But No 10 insisted there was no risk to the UK’s energy supply and consumers should not panic. Some of the gas at Attalus is likely to be used in the UK immediately, but much of it will likely flow to Europe via pipelines linking Britain to the continent. There it can be piped into European gas storage facilities and some of it could return to Britain during the winter. Public is paid to turn off the washing machines Concerns that shortages on the continent could jeopardize gas supplies back to the UK were played down by No 10, which highlighted both North Sea production and the use of “reliable partners” such as Norway to ensure of heating the houses and keeping the lights on. for the winter. A spokeswoman for No 10 said: “Households, businesses and industry can be confident they will get the electricity and gas they need over the winter. “This is because we have one of the most reliable and diverse energy systems in the world.” He said people should not panic or feel they need to cut back on energy use. Subscribe to the Daily Podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker “Those decisions, in terms of energy consumption, remain decisions for individuals,” he said. “But what I am saying is that households, businesses and industry can be sure they will have the electricity and gas they need.” But Downing Street has backed a scheme being developed by National Grid which could see households with smart meters paid to switch off high-energy appliances – such as washing machines – during peak times to reduce the risk of blackouts this winter.
