Wind farms paid record £.9.3m to switch off their turbines

The so-called 'constraint payments' have been declared a "national embarrassment" and a power management "disgrace" by campaigners

ByPhoebe Southworth and Edward Malnick, SUNDAY POLITICAL EDITOR 23 May 2020 • 9:00pm

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Wind farms in Britain were paid a record £.9.3m to switch off their turbines on Friday, The Telegraph can disclose.

More than 80 plants across England and Scotland were handed the so-called 'constraint payments', when supply outstrips demand, by National Grid, as thousands of buildings lying empty following the coronavirus lockdown contributed to a nosedive in demand for energy.

In what has been declared a "national embarrassment" and a power management "disgrace" by campaigners, consumers will ultimately foot the bill of £6.9m to 66 Scottish plants and £1.9m to 14 offshore plants in England.

This is almost double the previous single day record payout to wind farm operators, which was £4.8m on Oct 8, 2018, when turbines were switched off because it became too windy....

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Another article on this is 'A Decade of ConstPaint payments'

https://www.ref.org.uk/ref-blog/354-a-decade-of-constraint-payments