Triads explained

With the winter freeze behind us as we enter spring, the National Grid will soon be releasing its annual triad dates for 2013/14. Falling between November and February, the coldest and most energy intensive season of the year, these triads are the top three half-hour peak energy demand periods annually across the National Grid, each separated by at least 10 consecutive days. Typically, triads occur when high industrial demand meets the domestic tea-time period, causing a peak in electricity demand. As you might expect, triads also correlate with the weather, and when a cold snap occurs, energy usage surges. Manufacturers will be well aware of the fact that triads can incur substantial charges for the UK's largest energy consumers. The charge, named 'transmission network use of system' (TNUoS), is used to finance the maintenance of the UK's electricity grid to ensure future supply. Impacting customers with half-hourly meters, the charge is proportional to businesses' energy use over the triad periods and linked to location. For major energy users, the concern is that operating heavily during a triad will lead to a significant increase in their TNUoS charge, for example, in some areas the cost of boiling a kettle during each peak could add £27 to a half-hourly meter customers' bill. When it comes to triads, preparation is key. By monitoring the grid and making predictions about when a triad could occur, businesses can take steps to avoid these charges and potentially save themselves tens of thousands of pounds. At npower, this is a service we provide for our customers, ensuring that we alert those at risk so they can take back control of their energy bill. We warn our customers 24 hours before a triad is likely to happen, enabling manufacturers to plan how to best respond, whether this means ramping up on-site generators to avoid using the grid at peak times, or reducing consumption until the peak has passed. This has helped manufacturers and other major energy users reduce charges, with the average medium-large energy user saving around £50,000 of costs on their annual energy bill. As part of our triad warning service, we have created a TNUoS calculator. This is available online and allows users to calculate potential energy savings over a triad. For further information and questions, you can email the dedicated team on: business@npower.com