Cyprus’ electricity network is set to bear more pressure over the coming days, due to the cold spell forecast for Thursday onwards, increasing demand for heating.
“Things will be difficult. We are already seeing a very high demand. We hope everything will go well. The situation is being continuously evaluated and decisions will be taken accordingly,” Transmission System Operator spokeswoman Chara Kousiappa said on Wednesday.
Kousiappa told the Cyprus News Agency that the situation would be reevaluated on Thursday when temperatures drop.
By then, she said, “we hope that some units will have been repaired” and their production would be added to the grid.
Some units, Kousiappa explained, were going through scheduled maintenance, while faults had appeared in units at Dhekelia and Vasiliko.
She added that the crucial hours were after 6pm, when renewable energy was not contributing to the system.
From 6pm to 9pm it would be better for people to restrict their use of electricity, to avoid power cuts, Kousiappa said.
She also called on the people to use high-demand appliances during the day and avoid putting a strain on the system during peak hours.
Regarding Wednesday, a few hours before the cold sets in, Kousiappa said there would not be any power cuts, unless there was a fault.
“We will still be at our limits […] the public may be called upon to reduce the use of electricity during peak hours,” she added.
Kousiappa said people had indeed used less electricity on Tuesday, which allowed for a smooth overnight supply.
According to the official data from the operator, conventional generation at 10am on Wednesday stood at 530 Mw and photovoltaic generation 208 Mw, while the total demand for the same time was 744 Mw.Kousiappa said demand on Wednesday night would rise to 900Mw and there would be no contribution from photovoltaics.
Referring to the exchange of energy with the north, Kousiappa said this happened in many cases, not just now, as part of confidence-building measures.
She explained that over the past couple of days, there was an automatic flow of energy from the north during peak hours, as the systems are connected.
Kousiappa said the flow happens automatically between the two systems in case of a fault.
This, she added, helped ensure the stability of the whole system and that it was usually a small demand.It is clearly an energy flow and not a financial exchange, Kousiappa pointed out.
Meanwhile, Disy said the imminent drop in temperatures and the expected pressure on the grid highlighted the need to place energy storage as a top priority.
Further investments in photovoltaics coupled with largescale energy storage would benefit households and businesses alike, and would alleviate pressure on the grid.
“The government must move fast and more decisively in this direction,” Disy said.
Edek pointed out the need to urgently develop energy storage facilities on the island and expedite bringing natural gas to Cyprus.
“We don’t have the luxury for even the slightest delay. Cyprus, its residents and its economy cannot be held hostage to the occupying pseudostate and fate,” Edek said.
On Tuesday, electricity production met the demand and the situation was being closely monitored.The north on Monday night supplied the Republic with electricity after a fault at the Dhekelia power station left the Republic unable to fulfil its own electrical needs.
