Coal power stations fired up and customers paid to cut energy use in UK cold snap

National Grid asks Drax and EDF to start warming three plants and says it will activate its live demand flexibility service on Monday evening

Britain's electricity generators have been forced to warm up coal-fired power stations for the second time this winter and selected households will be paid to cut their electricity use for the first time as the cold snap persists.

With a high-pressure weather system and associated light winds likely to dominate for a few more days, National Grid's electricity system operator (ESO) said early on Sunday it had asked Drax to start warming" two of its coal units at its North Yorkshire site and EDF to do the same for one at its West Burton plant in Nottinghamshire to ensure supplies on Monday.