Skip to main navigation
Home
ESO
  • ESO
  • Group PLC
  • NG in the UK
  • NG in the US
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Data Portal
  • Calendar
  • News
  • Contact us
  • Back
  • Who we are
    • Back
    • Home
    • Who we are
    • What we do
      • Back
      • Who we are
      • What we do
      • Work with us
      • Our people
      • How we're organised
      • How we're regulated
      • Meet the board
      • Our Executive Team
      • The Future System Operator (FSO)
      • Stakeholder groups
      • Our global network
      • Compliance statements
    • Electricity National Control Centre
      • Back
      • Who we are
      • Electricity National Control Centre
      • What does the Electricity National Control Centre do?
      • What is the Balancing Mechanism?
      • How does the ENCC handle severe weather?
      • What does a day in the ENCC look like?
      • Operational Transparency Forum
    • Electricity Markets
      • Back
      • Who we are
      • Electricity Markets
      • Electricity markets explained
      • Publications and projects
      • The role of the ESO Markets team
  • Electricity explained
    • Back
    • Home
    • Electricity explained
    • What is electricity?
    • How is electricity generated?
    • How does electricity move around?
    • How do we balance the grid?
    • What to do in a power cut
    • How is electricity priced?
    • Electricity and me
    • Monthly Insights
  • A net zero future
    • Back
    • Home
    • A net zero future
    • Our progress towards net zero
      • Back
      • A net zero future
      • Our progress towards net zero
      • Carbon Intensity Dashboard
      • Road to Zero Carbon report
      • Road to Zero Carbon in numbers
    • Our net zero work
      • Back
      • A net zero future
      • Our net zero work
      • Future Energy Scenarios (FES)
      • Virtual Energy System
      • Innovation
      • Projects
      • The Pathway to 2030 Holistic Network Design
      • Empowering climate action
      • Bridging the Gap to net zero
      • Our RIIO-2 plans
    • Net zero explained
      • Back
      • A net zero future
      • Net zero explained
      • What is net zero and zero carbon?
      • Renewable energy
      • Electric vehicles
      • What is carbon intensity?
  • Industry information
    • Back
    • Home
    • Industry information
    • Connections
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Connections
      • Our role in connections
      • The connections offer process
      • Your connections journey
      • Reports and registers
      • Connections Portal
      • Use of System (UoS) and Virtual Lead Party (VLP)
      • Connections help and support
      • TEC Amnesty
    • Balancing Services
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Balancing Services
      • Future of balancing services
      • Demand Flexibility Service
      • Frequency response services
      • Reserve services
      • System security services
      • Reactive power services
      • Trading
      • Settlements
      • Local Constraint Market
      • Balancing Mechanism Wider Access
      • Electricity System Restoration Standard
      • Power Responsive
      • Balancing programme
      • Single Markets Platform
    • Charging
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Charging
      • Balancing Services Use of System (BSUoS) charges
      • Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges
      • Assistance for Areas with High Electricity Distribution Costs (AAHEDC)
      • Connection charges
      • Charging guidance
      • Charging policy developments
      • Charging statements
      • Our consultation responses
    • Codes
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Codes
      • Code changes: Beginner's Guide
      • Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC)
      • Grid Code (GC)
      • System Operator Transmission Owner Code
      • Security and Quality of Supply Standard (SQSS)
      • Balancing Settlement Code (BSC)
      • Digitalised Whole System Technical Code (WSTC)
      • European Network Codes (ENC)
      • About the Codes Team
    • Industry Data and Reports
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Industry Data and Reports
      • System Performance Reports
      • Balancing services performance monitoring report
      • Data finder and explorer
      • Forecast volumes and costs
      • System balancing reports
      • System constraints
      • Voltage costs
    • Winter Operations
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Winter Operations
      • Markets Forum events
      • Operational Transparency Forum
    • Network Access Planning
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Network Access Planning
      • What happens when there's an outage?
      • eNAMS
      • Accelerated Loss of Mains applications
  • Our strategy
    • Back
    • Home
    • Our strategy
    • Our RIIO-2 Business Plan
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • Our RIIO-2 Business Plan
      • How we're performing under RIIO-2
      • RIIO-2 Stakeholder Group
      • Previous plans and documents
      • Get involved
    • Annual report and accounts
  • Research & publications
    • Back
    • Home
    • Research & publications
    • Future Energy Scenarios (FES)
    • Network Options Assessment (NOA)
    • ​Electricity Ten Year Statement (ETYS)
    • Markets Roadmap
    • Summer Outlook
    • Winter Outlook
    • Whole electricity system
    • System Operability Framework (SOF)
    • Regional Development Programmes
    • Balancing Market Review
National Grid ESO - gprah of Welsh Power condenser

Latest boost for Stability pathfinder as construction of flywheel begins

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

24th September 2020 - Balancing the grid

Construction of a synchronous condenser and flywheel at Welsh Power’s Rassau site in Ebbw Vale has begun.

This asset will play a key role in our new approach to mananaging the stability of the electricity system – with different parties providing stability without having to provide electricity – allowing more renewable generation to operate and ensuring system stability at lower costs.

Welsh Power was awarded a contract to provide stability services earlier this year and expects the new plant to be operational by autumn 2021.

What’s the new approach?

Historically, grid stability had been maintained by large, predominantly fossil fuel power plants with large, spinning synchronous generator.

These traditional plants are being phased out and renewable generators like wind and solar connect to the grid in a different way, without the same stabilising properties - so we’re exploring new ways to manage stability.

The Rassau synchronous condenser and flywheel technology will provides inertia and short circuit level to further strengthen the grid as well as reactive power for voltage control in the South West region.

It’s the latest development in our Stability pathfinder project, following Drax’s hydroelectric pumped storage plant in Cruachan – a facility built inside a hollowed-out mountain in the Scottish highlands – which started providing these vital stability services in July, without generating unnecessary electricity.

How is this boosting Britain’s zero carbon ambition?

We’re preparing Britain’s electricity system to be able to run on purely zero-carbon electricity by 2025 – ready to accommodate whatever quantity of renewable electricity is being generated at that time.

These stability services are a crucial piece of the puzzle towards 2025, which will in turn play a role in meeting the government’s 2050 net zero ambition.

Our pathfinder is bringing the stabilising ingredients we need to the grid, and will help us to harness all of the available renewable power. That means we’ll be much less likely to need to pay renewable generators to reduce their output to make room for power stations that can bring us stability – a saving that is passed on to electricity consumers.

This new thinking – and our new approach to boosting the resilience of our electricity system – is bringing us a big step towards achieving our zero carbon goals.

Similar reading

NGESO_Father and son using tablet in kitchen_Banner size.jpg ESO : Balancing the grid

Demand Flexibility Service delivers MWs and savings

15 December 2022

Following the launch of the Demand Flexibility Service the ESO has successfully held five planned events to demonstrate the use of the service and to provide consumers and participating providers with a return for their participation.

Read article
NGESO_Cityscape rooftops at night ESO : Balancing the grid

ESO’s Demand Flexibility Service Launches

4 November 2022

Ofgem, the regulator for the energy industry, has today approved the ESO’s proposal to create a demand flexibility service for this winter

Read article
NGESO - Man reads documents with glowlines ESO : Balancing the grid

National Grid ESO confirms early detail of winter coal contracts

18 August 2022

At the request of BEIS, the ESO has agreed contracts with Drax and EDF to extend the life of coal fired power plants this winter.

Read article
National Grid ESO
© National Grid 2023

Connect with us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Contact us
    • Media centre
    • Work for us
  • Information
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Security
    • Modern Slavery Statement
© National Grid 2023
Top