The UK spent ~£1.47bn curtailing wind generation and paying gas plants to switch on, blaming grid constraints and insufficient network investment. It explains that when wind output is high but grid capacity is limited, clean electricity can’t reach demand centers—so the system compensates by turning wind down and relying on fossil generation elsewhere. The piece frames this as both a cost‑of‑living and climate problem, arguing that grid upgrades and smarter pricing could reduce wasted renewable power.
Date: January 2, 2026. Source: euronews.com