Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reports that, on 8 January 2025, the National Grid's margin of surplus power over actual demand dropped to 580 megawatts, or just over 1% of peak demand, which was below safety requirements; what level of safety requirements it considers is sufficient to protect the public and businesses in Scotland against brownouts and blackouts; what its position is on the necessity of further investment in (a) increased gas storage and (b) new generating capacity from gas-fired power stations to provide back-up capacity to protect against brownouts and blackouts, and what discussions it has had with the (i) National Energy System Operator and (ii) UK Government regarding the role of non-renewable back-up generation in providing stability to the energy grid.
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44226 on 25 March 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.