Future Of British Business
Drax in Talks with UK Grid to Restart Two Coal Units Next Winter
- Government asked National Grid to explore extending reserve
- Contingency supply may be needed on cold, windless days
Residential housing near cooling towers at Drax Power Station near Selby, UK.
Photographer: Ian Forsyth/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
British power generator Drax Group Plc is in talks with National Grid Plc to restart two coal-fired units to be used as emergency back up power supply for next winter.
National Grid was asked by the government earlier this year to explore extending a coal reserve that was used last winter as a safety buffer. Drax is in talks to re-open the units at its power station in north England, according to the grid operator’s early winter outlook published on Thursday.