Arctic Weather Blast to Put Strain on Europe’s Energy Systems
An electricity transmission pylon next to residential houses in Berlin.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A blast of Arctic air will bring icy temperatures and low wind speeds to Europe over the next week, putting pressure on energy systems already struggling with depleted natural gas inventories.
There are warnings for ice and snow across parts of the UK, France, Germany and Spain. The temperature in cities like London and Paris — which soared close to 20C (68F) last weekend — will dip below zero on Friday. That will push up power demand just as generation from solar and wind drop — a combination known as “Dunkelflaute.”