Over the next five years the water and wastewater company plans to make 50MW of flexible power capacity available to National Grid to turn up and down in response to variations in the grid’s power frequency.
Smart boxes installed at United Utilities’ treatment plants and pumping stations will allow its motors and pumps to be turned on and off in seconds in response to variations caused by the increased use of intermittent renewable sources, the company said.
The arrangement is expected to earn the company around £5 million from National Grid, and United Utilities said it would reinvest the cash into site assets to reduce operating costs.
United Utilities energy manager Andy Pennick said its involvement with the scheme was part of a drive to use power more efficiently.
“Water and wastewater treatment is a really energy intensive process – power is one of our biggest operating costs – so we’re looking both inside and outside our business to see how we can work smarter. That means using less power and being willing to be flexible in the way we use that power,” Pennick said.