A report issued by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) warns that the UK could be facing a 40-55% electricity supply gap by 2025 if the Government continues with its current plans to close all remaining coal plants by 2025.
They claim that plans to plug the gap by building Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGTs) plants were unrealistic as 30 plants would need to be constructed in the next 10 years. In the previous decade the UK has built just four CCGTs. The report also argues that the UK has neither the resources or skill set to build the amount of power stations required in that time.
Lead author of the report, Dr Jenifer Baxter, said: ''The UK is facing an electricity supply crisis. As the UK population rises and with the greater use of electricity use in transport and heating it looks almost certain that electricity demand is going to rise. Currently there are insufficient incentives for companies to invest in any sort of electricity infrastructure or innovation and worryingly even the government’s own energy calculator does not allow for the scenarios that new energy policy points towards. Under current policy, it is almost impossible for UK electricity demand to be met by 2025.''
Any potential energy gaps are likely to be filled with a greater reliance on interconnectors to import electricity from Europe and Scandinavia. However the IME suggested that this could weaken the UK's energy security and could lead to higher energy costs for consumers.
The IME argue that any shortfall in energy should be resolved by investment in renewables, energy storage and combined heat and power; an approach supported by Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Simon Bullock who stated that the government must protect the country’s energy security with a low-carbon electricity system.
