Enertechnos, a renewable energy company, has disclosed that repairing the inefficient power cables in the UK could reduce the country’s reliance on imported electricity. 

As the UK transitions from fossil fuels such as natural gas, the nation’s electricity grid is leaking significant amounts of energy, with householders paying the price. 

According to government statistics, inefficient cable losses in the UK totalled 26,412 GWh annually, enough to power approximately 7 million households. This number is anticipated to increase as electric vehicles and heat devices increase the electricity demand.

Dominic Quennell, CEO of Enertechnos, warns that inefficient cabling in the UK causes “unnecessary losses in energy generated before it reaches the point of consumption.” The International Energy Agency has emphasised the need for more efficient electricity lines to combat this issue. According to Mr Quennell, if the entire world utilised Enertechnos’ form of cable, losses could be reduced by approximately 40%.

In 2021, the UK imported 28.7 terawatt-hours of electricity from France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Ireland. This number is marginally greater than the 26.4 terawatt-hours of energy lost due to leaking cables in 2019. During the previous winter, National Grid warned that it could be compelled to implement three-hour rolling blackouts if it could not secure sufficient electricity supplies. 

According to Mr Quennell, as the UK continues to implement more heat pumps and acquire more electric vehicles, this problem will only worsen.

Mr Quennell compares the UK’s electrical grid to a network of water pipes, stating that the system will require “a larger pipe that allows more water through” to accommodate more electricity. Typically, grid cables are designed to last between 30 and 40 years, allowing for their progressive replacement. 

Considering Mr Quennell’s observation that “energy is becoming a very strategic issue,” it is essential to repair the leaking cables and make the energy infrastructure more resilient to an increasingly electrified future.

According to Mr Quennell, the present state of supply security in the UK is surprisingly precarious, and a better grid would prevent power outages. Because losses are a component of everyone’s expenses, consumers are unfortunately responsible. Based on the price limit issued in October last year, Enertechnos estimates that households pay £100 per year for these inefficient leaks. 

Until steps are taken to reduce leakage cables, losses may continue contributing to household bills despite the energy bill relief programme.

To accommodate the inevitable increase in electrical demand caused by the electrification of home heating and road transport, the capacity of the UK’s electrical grid will have to expand swiftly. Mr Quennell states that it is disheartening to realise how much energy is lost due to electricity losses, particularly when technologies are available to address this issue. 

He concludes that the government and regulator Ofgem must take the initiative to ensure the grid is future-proof.