In mid-January, the network operator TransnetBW caused a stir with an appeal to save electricity. This was necessary because there was too much wind in the north. Now the company wants to create more clarity for consumers with an app update.
Stuttgart (dpa/lsw) – In future, people in Baden-Württemberg will be able to get more information about the status of the power grid in the south-west on their smartphones via the “StromGedacht” app. For example, you will be asked for help via a push message if more needs to be done to stabilize the network. According to information from Wednesday, the transmission system operator TransnetBW from Stuttgart introduced the new color orange in the traffic light logic of the app. They signal a situation in the transmission grid in which TransnetBW has to take more stabilization measures than usual – and to which citizens could contribute.
“StromGedacht” then makes concrete suggestions as to how, for example, the network can be effectively relieved by shifting one’s own electricity consumption over time. “With the involvement of private households, such high costs, which are felt by electricity customers through surcharges, and CO2 emissions can be reduced,” explained TransnetBW. “Power cuts are not to be feared.”
Green stands for normal operation in the app. Red is now intended for tense situations where forecasts of the electricity market predict too little generation for demand in Baden-Württemberg.
The company has already recorded around 150,000 downloads for the app since November. “StromGedacht” is not a warning app, stressed TransnetBW. “In the event of a critical situation in the power grid with a noticeable impact on the population, the authorities warn via official channels such as the radio or the Nina app.” According to experts, such a situation is considered very unlikely.
A grid bottleneck occurs, for example, when the capacity of the electricity grid in Germany is not sufficient to transport excess wind power from the north to the industrially strong south of Germany. Additional power plants will then be deployed and – if that is not enough – electricity will be purchased from abroad. This is called redispatching. Most recently, in mid-January, this happened on such a large scale that TransnetBW called on the public to save electricity.
