SSEN Transmission is seeking views on the current Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charging regime, which it said results in Scottish renewable energy generators paying higher costs to connect electricity to the grid than those in other parts of Great Britain.
The company has published a discussion paper on the subject, which was released today.
It said, for example, that a wind farm in the north of Scotland pays £5.50 per megawatt-hour of energy, but an equivalent wind farm in Wales will get paid £2.80/MWh.
“This creates a huge barrier for further low carbon investment, despite great support for further deployment through UK and Scottish government policy,” SSEN Transmission said.
It’s Triad season: What you need to know 2020/21
Triads incentivise heavy commercial and industrial users of electricity to shift their power use to periods of lower demand, by charging a premium for high consumption at certain times.
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Every winter, the system operator National Grid ESO retrospectively calculates the Triad periods by analysing the settlement data between November and February. The three half-hour periods that are clearly separated by ten days which see the highest demand for electricity across the UK’s energy network are the Triads.
These periods form the basis of Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) electricity charges for consumers on half-hourly metering. For businesses on flexible (pass-through) contracts, your energy consumption during the Triad periods will determine your TNUoS charges.