Agenda item

Katie Privett, Northern Powergrid will give a presentation at the meeting.

The Chair welcomed and introduced to the Committee Katie Privett, the Regional Insights Manager for Northern Powergrid.

Katie talked about her role and what it entailed as the Regional Insights Manager and then gave the ACC a detailed power-point presentation entitled Northern Powergrid – Enabling Regional Decarbonisation, which highlighted the following: 

·       Northern Powergrid – responsible for the electricity distribution network in the North East, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire;

·       What Northern Powergrid does for its customers;

·       Providing Connections: Growth and decarbonisation across our region;

·       Decarbonisation: Meeting the challenge;

·       30 GW in our connections pipeline;

·       Providing connections: timescales;

·       Providing connection: Costs to connect;

·       Working with Local Authorities.

Appended to the presentation was the following additional information:

·       Statistical connections information – appetite for major connections was booming;

·       Progressing major connections for those ready to proceed;

·       New load growth visualisations highlighting future flexibility needs

During and upon the conclusion of the presentation, Katie Privett responded to the ACC’s comments, questions and concerns on various matters raised.

Councillor Warneken thanked Katie for her presentation but raised concerns (as an example  case study) there was a lot of emphasis on new installations but raised issues regarding bad problems with an existing installation.  He referred to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points, solar panels and battery storage at home and added at weekends he was off grid.  On weekdays when working he fired up the lighting is his warehouse and using his machinery. He stated that he did not have enough battery storage to run everything off grid. For the last five months he had experienced outage to the level of 145 volts when he’s been told this was unacceptable. Concerned at the level of service received and responses received to these issues. On a more positive note, he added he was working with two local villages for local energy generation. Councillor Warneken was advised to contact Katie Privett post meeting to follow-up his specific issues raised.

Councillor Lunn commented on the original design of the grid and capacity issues. He asked did Northern Powergrid encourage any works outside the grid?  Katie Privett outlined an example of work with Moto and looking at connection solutions at service stations for example. 

Councillor Duckett enquired how Northern Powergrid worked with the Council’s planning department regarding housing developments and commented on a number of power outages experienced in the area she represented..  At what point did Northern Powergrid know about potential new developments. Katie Privett responded than traditionally Northern Powergrid became aware when a planning application was submitted. She talked about design study that cost from £300 to £1500 for a development.

Councillor Poskitt also mentioned several power outages in Tadcaster locality and the major impact that had on businesses in particular in that area.

Resolved –

(a) That Katie Privett, Regional Insights Manager, Northern Powergrid be thanked for her informative and interesting presentation; and

(b) Members of the ACC contact Katie Privett directly following the meeting on any specific issue they would like a more detailed response on (The lead Democratic support officer to provide the ACC with Katies’ e-mail contact details).