A warning by the National Grid on the capacity of the UK’s energy providers this winter has prompted the Association of Electricity Producers to speak out.

The warning, which details a possible shortfall in electricity generating capacity, comes as news emerges on the fragility of the UK’s power infrastructure partly due to the breakdown of old nuclear reactors, and a vital import plant in South Wales that will not be operational this winter.

Chief Executive of the AEP, David Porter, has spoken out to quell the swell of concern for the winter, he said: "We should beware of talking ourselves into a crisis. At present, we have enough power stations available to meet normal winter demand.

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The Grid recently carried a "transmission system warning" on its website calling for an extra 300 megawatts of power to supply the peak times of 4.00pm and 7.30pm, when workers are returning to their homes and switching on their televisions and kettles.

Mr Davids said: "Recent calls by National Grid for more power to be made available were a normal feature of running the system and in response, more electricity was produced."

However, Mr Porter admitted: "Old age and ever tightening environmental requirements mean that many of our power stations have to close. We are facing massive investment in new power plant. We estimate that this amounts to well over £20 billion in the next 12 years."

(DW/SP)