Britain facing blackouts for first time since 1970s

Britain facing blackouts for first time since 1970s

www.telegraph.co.uk

Britain is facing the prospect of widespread power cuts for the first time since the 1970s, government projections show.

Demand for power from homes and businesses will exceed supply from the national grid within eight years, according to official figures.

The shortage of supplies will hit the equivalent of many as 16 million families for at least one hour during the year, it is forecast.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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mod edit, hopefully to fix link

[edit on 1-9-2009 by DontTreadOnMe]

Oh my. You mean that energy conservation and CO2 remediation is going to be uncomfortable?

The last time Britain experienced regular power cuts because of shortages of supply was in the early 1970s The country was forced to do everyday tasks by candlelight and a three-day week was imposed on all but essential services to try and conserve electricity.

The looming problem in Britain is caused by the scheduled closure by 2015 of nine oil and coal-fired power plants. They are the victim of an EU directive designed to cut pollution.

In addition, four existing nuclear power plants are set to be shut, adding to the need for new sources of energy.

Ooops. Forgot there are peole and industry involved in this "equation," didn't we.

America, with the 'climate bill' due out of the Senate before the end of September, are you ready for the stone age?

YOUR science advisor thinks it's high time.
YOUR energy secretary believes this is long overdue.

Turn out the lights, the party's over.

jw



www.telegraph.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 31-8-2009 by jdub297]

Thanks Labour and thanks EU, you've ruined our country. Whereas we have to act upon every EU directive due to Labour incorporating them into our Laws, the French can ignore them and go unpunished.

The French still have a nationalised Power sector (along with other key sectors) and have not suffered from the fluctuations in gas/oil prices and generate alot of their power from Nuclear, whereas here in the UK, we're being forced to close down our power stations to satisfy our EU masters, even though our privatised (at the behest of the EU) power sector won't build any new plants because the Government won't stump up the money.

I tell you what, power cuts and the like might be good for his country. It might make the sheeple sit up and take notice what has been going on. Shame it had to go so far first though.

EDIT: To add, these projections are based on rather optimistic assumptions, the main one being that the Government does not see electricity consumption increasing from current levels until 2020, even though the Uk population has grown by 1 million in the past 2 years!

Idiots!

[edit on 31/8/09 by stumason]

Time to build more windmills and create jobs building them.

Does that make any sense?

Yeah and all this time those eco-nazis told us that we wouldn't go back to the stone age... Yeah right.

Closing coal plants is one thing, but closing nuclear power plants? WTF?

This whole thing is BS. If you want to cut ``emissions`` from coal, find out underground coal fires, they burn millions of tons of coal for nothing every year.

[edit on 31-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

Originally posted by stumason
Thanks Labour and thanks EU, you've ruined our country. Whereas we have to act upon every EU directive due to Labour incorporating them into our Laws, the French can ignore them and go unpunished.

I am sorry for you. Nominally a 'democracy,' the UK has been subjugated to the will of the "knowing" class.

My daughter lives among you, and so I have a connection, tenuous as it may seem.

I see what you're experiencing under Gordon Brown, and fear for our own nation under his counterpart.

jw

Originally posted by ChemicalSubstance
Time to build more windmills and create jobs building them.

Does that make any sense? [/quote
Unfortunately, no. Although a favored 'remedy,' windmills require far more land-use than other "alternatives," including conservation.

We are plunging into an abyss and no one sees it.

jw

reply to post by Vitchilo

Our Energy Secretary has "nightmares" about coal, so forget about domestic alternatives.

Thanks, again, to the sheeple who believe they are being led to energy nirvana.

This "Bud" is yours.

jw

closing in 2015?
Doesn't that give 6 years to come up with something?
And one hour per year????

...trust me, I know that isn't the point, with the foreign government control in britain, but geez.
It just seems like such a small sacrifice.

reply to post by heyo


Give us your alternative proposal.

How does any industialized nation manage to maintain current operations (much less growth) when the governement restricts your ability to expand, or even to maintain staus quo, with the same budget you've got today?

jw

I kinda look at this as a good thing.

It gives a mandate/incentive to invest in alternative energies, alot can happen 8 years in terms of technological advancement, everyone needs a cleaner planet, if we kept these places open then everyone would be satisfied and there wouldn't really be a reason to convert to alternative energies, eventually it would happen but it would take alot longer than need be, global warming may not exist, but that doesn't mean we need to keep poluting our already heavy poluted planet.

I know this won't be a popular opinion. But it does make sense.

reply to post by jdub297


I don't think an alternative proposal is necassary. One day without power isn't going to affect me at all, and frankly if it affects sombeody that much, well, too bad.

Remember america and the space race? They had a goal, and they reached it.

If it's that important than brits can go ahead and become aware of and do something about it. Money to r'n'd?
National boycott the power-company day?
This is sucha small proble in the grand scheme of things.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by Uniceft17


You might think 8 years is a long time, but they've known about this for at least that long and done bugger all. All dilly-dallying and pandering to green pressure groups, all the while achieving the sum total of FA.

We have enough coal reserves to last us 300 years! 300 years! But even with clean coal tech, we can't build any more due to "EU directives", which Labour will happily pander too. No surprises that the bulk of the Labour party are all ex-soviet sympathisers from their student days. Not that the Conservatives or Lib Dems are any better, mind you....

Oh, as for the comment about "building windmills and creating jobs", see what the Government thinks about that:

Winf Turbine factory closes, despite being profitable and Government does nothing to protect jobs or promote "green energy"

Originally posted by Uniceft17
I kinda look at this as a good thing.

I know this won't be a popular opinion. But it does make sense.

Great!

Start now. Turn off your computer, disable your car and cut the power to your TV and radio.

The stuff in the 'fridge will stay good for about a week. After that, you can smoke or salt your groceries. Stock up on wood.

In about a month, go to a public library and let us know how you're doing. If they let you in.

jw

Originally posted by Uniceft17
I kinda look at this as a good thing.

I know this won't be a popular opinion. But it does make sense.

Great!

Start now. Turn off your computer, disable your car and cut the power to your TV and radio.

The stuff in the 'fridge will stay good for about a week. After that, you can smoke or salt your groceries. Stock up on wood.

In about a month, go to a public library and let us know how you're doing. If they let you in.

jw

reply to post by stumason


Please don't mistake me for a Tory advocate, but Labor doesn't really seem to care what their "ideals" mean anymore , do they? It's as if the populace is only a distrasction. A tax-paying one at that.

"We'll tell you what's good for you; you send us the money."

I am truly sorry for what's coming for you (and my daughter). Appearance above all, substance be damned.

jw

Originally posted by jdub297

Great!

Start now. Turn off your computer, disable your car and cut the power to your TV and radio.

The stuff in the 'fridge will stay good for about a week. After that, you can smoke or salt your groceries. Stock up on wood.

In about a month, go to a public library and let us know how you're doing. If they let you in.

jw

So you conviently left out a large part of my post, and WHY I said it was a good thing, I didn't say it was a good thing people would be without power, I said that this would be a good incentive for them to get to work on alternative energies.

And then you go onto exagerate the article, an hour a year is what the article said, but your going on about there being another stoneage? People going without power for a month, etc. Why are you exaggerating to get your point across?

Next time you quote me, don't take my words out of context and twist them to make it look like I said something else.

Your national grid is already in trouble, at the moment you have to borrow power from France every time an episode of “Eastenders” ends (that’s a UK soap opera for those who don’t know).

Mikey

reply to post by Uniceft17


If you've read any of my posts, you'd know I'm an environmentalist. But a practical one. I want to see my efforts rewarded, not put into the pockets of fearmongers and scoundrels.

I haven't quoted you anywhere. Show me where; I dare you!

I have not exaggerated. Show me where; I dare you!

You may read into my posts more than I said, but that says more about you than what I said, doesn't it?

"Next time you quote me, don't take my words out of context and twist them to make it look like I said something else."

I haven't quoted ANYTHING you've said. You make it seem as if I'd turned your words of wisdom into something else.

I haven't. You make it seem like you've said something I felt like repeating. You didn't. I don't.

jw