The prolonged summer heat and increased use of air conditioners are putting a strain on the power grid, however, the Cyprus Transmission System Operator (CTSO) appears confident about supply adequacy. The biggest challenge remains meeting demand smoothly during the evening hours, when solar energy is not available.

Speaking on the “Alpha News” program, the Assistant Director of the CTSO, Haris Zavallis, explained that the difference between the midday and evening peaks is now decisive. During midday hours, with demand exceeding 1,140 MW, there is no risk, as 65% is covered by Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and only 35% by conventional generation.

The challenge shifts to the evening, when the burden falls on conventional power plants. Nevertheless, Mr. Zavallis assured that the necessary reserve capacity is available. “Even in the scenario of a serious failure at a large power plant, we estimate that evening demand will be met, albeit barely,” he emphasized.

However, in the event that a major conventional power plant is unexpectedly taken offline during the evening peak, the System Operator has a “Plan B” in place. As Mr. Zavallis noted, there may be automatic or manual power cuts in selected areas, depending on the extent of the loss in generation. However, these will be targeted, short-duration outages, as it takes “10–15 minutes for the immediate-response generators to start up,” synchronize with the grid, and restore power to consumers.

Finally, the Assistant Director of the Hellenic Electricity System Operator (HESO) outlined the outlook for the coming days, emphasizing the critical role that energy storage systems (batteries) in addressing these phenomena. These systems will solve the problem of fluctuating generation, since “they will store excess energy during midday peak hours and release it during the evening,” thereby shielding the grid from outages while also reducing emissions and curtailment of renewable energy.