Reducing the strain on an ‘overloaded’ grid

Considering how hospitals might react to such a threat, Rachel Cooper, an energy consultant at the company, examines the potential benefits to healthcare facilities of “demand response”. 

Availability of power, when and where it is needed, as well as a secure supply, are essential to many organisations. Hospitals and healthcare buildings are no exception, and indeed nowhere is it more crucial to have a reliable source of power. However, the sector is facing a dangerous future, with the planned closure of nine electrical generation and five nuclear plants by 2016. This will result in a 20 per cent reduction in the margin of spare capacity for electricity supplies. In addition to this impending problem, investment in renewable energy such as wind farms, while offering a lower carbon solution, will actually result in a less predictable power supply system. Meanwhile, there are a number of day-today threats that can result in electrical system emergencies, such as high winds taking down a power line, or unexpected equipment failure, that will take a power plant out of service. Regardless of the cause, the resulting disruption can have a near devastating effect for organisations that rely on this energy. National Grid has recognised the issues facing the industry, and has committed to providing a flexible solution that responds to increased demand and/or decreased supply. It has consequently been working with its customers to provide a number of management instruments that are utilised to respond to increased demand on the grid.

Management tools