BriefTea
Every story in sixty words
Get the free app no ads · no paywallExplained in plain English
When the grid can't handle all the electricity generated, especially from wind farms, operators pay them to stop producing. This prevents system overload and keeps the lights on, but it's a costly workaround. These 'constraint costs' are ultimately passed on to consumers through their energy bills.
Stories that explain this
Electricity grid upgrades must speed up or bills will rise, watchdog warnsRelated explainers
Why is the grid so old? Why are my bills going up? What's the £70bn plan? What about charging costs? What about non-prescription costs? Why alcohol costs more Will all vapes cost more? Why are benefit costs rising?The full catalogue
Browse every card filed under C →We would like to count visits and see which links bring readers here. That means storing a random ID in your browser. No cookies, no ads, no profile. How it works.