TV pickup


TV pickup is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer to a phenomenon that affects electricity generation and transmission networks. It often occurs when a large number of people watch the same TV programmes while taking advantage of breaks in programming to use toilets and operate electrical appliances, thus causing large synchronised surges in national electricity consumption. Electricity networks devote considerable resources to predicting and providing electricity supply for these events, which in the UK, for example, typically impose an extra demand of around 200–400 megawatts on the National Grid. Short-term supply is often obtained from pumped storage reservoirs, which can be quickly brought online, backed up by the slower fossil fuel and nuclear power stations. The largest ever pickup was on 4 July 1990, when a 2800 MW demand was imposed by the ending of the penalty shootout in the England v West Germany FIFA World Cup semi-final. In addition to pickups, the Grid also prepares for synchronised switch-offs during remembrance and energy-awareness events.

Cause

TV pickups occur during breaks in popular television programmes and are a surge in demand caused by the flushing of toilets and the opening of fridge doors by millions of people. There is a common misconception that the number one driver of TV pickup is the boiling of kettles. In fact, this only creates a pull on the local network for a short period of time until the water has boiled, and can therefore be managed relatively easily, whereas flushing the toilet causes a longer surge at the water and sewerage pumping stations, and opening the refrigerator lets the chilled air escape, causing the compressor to run. These loads are more of a problem for the grid.
The phenomenon is common in the UK, where individual programmes can often attract a significantly large audience share. The introduction of a wider range of TV channels is mitigating the effect, but it remains a large concern for the National Grid operators.
There are typically several large peaks in energy use caused by TV pickup during each day, dependent on TV schedules, the day of the week and weather. The largest pickup of the day is usually at 21:00, when several popular TV programmes end or go to commercial breaks. The most popular programmes, hence those giving the greatest pickup are soaps, sporting events, and reality TV. A typical TV pickup imposes an extra demand of 200–400 megawatts, with larger soap storylines bringing around 700–800 MW.

Response

A sudden increase in demand, unmatched by an increase in supply, causes a drop in the mains frequency across the Grid.
The National Grid Energy Balancing Team is responsible for ensuring an adequate supply of electricity and try to ensure a frequency of between 49.5 and 50.5 Hz is maintained. To prepare for pickups the team runs a computer program that compares the current day with corresponding periods over the past five years to predict the size of demand, and studies TV schedules to anticipate demand from popular shows. Grid employees must also be familiar with popular soap-opera storylines as one might cause a sudden rise in demand. Owing to this, they are aware of what shows attract the largest audiences and of customers' television choices; one expressed his disapproval in 2013, "The TV pickup from Deal or No Deal is gobsmackingly high. How sad is that?"
Sporting events like tennis matches are especially difficult because of the impossibility of predicting when one will end. International football finals are a particular problem as research has shown that 71% of people in the UK will watch them at home instead of public venues such as pubs. The Grid predicted a pickup of around 3000 MW, equivalent to 1.2 million kettles being turned on at once, if England made the later stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
It is important to predict demand as precisely as possible as electricity grids are not capable of storing electricity in large quantities and all power stations have a lead-in time before generation can begin. Balancing teams attempt to meet short term fluctuations with "fast reserves" that are quick to come online, backed up with longer term fossil fuel-based "balance mechanism units". The shortest lead-in times are on pumped storage reservoirs, such as the Dinorwig Power Station that has the fastest response time of any pumped storage station in the world at just 12 seconds to produce 1320 MW. Once the longer term fossil fuel stations, which have response times around half an hour, and nuclear power stations, which can take even longer, come online then pumped storage stations can be turned off and the water returned to the reservoir.

Records

The largest TV pickups recorded in the UK are:
Pickup demandDateProgramme
2800 MW4 July 1990England v West Germany FIFA World Cup semi-final penalty shootout
2600 MW22 January 1984The Thorn Birds – Final episode
2570 MW21 June 2002England v Brazil FIFA World Cup quarter-final
2340 MW12 June 2002Nigeria v England FIFA World Cup group match
2290 MW5 April 2001EastEnders – "Who Shot Phil?"
2290 MW22 November 2003England v Australia Rugby World Cup Final
2200 MW16 January 1984The Thorn Birds – Episode 4/5
2200 MW20 July 1989The Thorn Birds
2200 MW5 August 1985Dallas
2200 MW28 April 1991The Darling Buds of May
2200 MW12 May 1991The Darling Buds of May
2200 MW18 April 1994EastEnders & Coronation Street
2100 MW30 June 1998Argentina v England FIFA World Cup round of 16 half time
2100 MW19 February 1986The Colbys
2010 MW7 April 2002Coronation Street
2000 MW1 April 1991Coronation Street
2000 MW3 July 1990Italy v Argentina FIFA World Cup semi-final
2000 MW2 April 1984Coronation Street & Blue Thunder
1960 MW1 July 2006England v Portugal FIFA World Cup quarter-final
1900 MW5 April 1994EastEnders
1830 MW20 June 2006Sweden v England FIFA World Cup group match
1820 MW21 April 1999Juventus v Manchester United UEFA Champions League semi-final
1820 MW21 June 2002England v Brazil FIFA World Cup quarter-final
1800 MW29 July 1981Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer
1800 MW2 September 1992Coronation Street
1800 MW3 September 1992EastEnders
1800 MW7 September 1992Coronation Street
1700 MW25 June 2006England v Ecuador FIFA World Cup round of 16
1600 MW29 April 2011Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
1400 MW11 July 2018England v Croatia FIFA World Cup semi-final
1400 MW7 July 2018England v Sweden FIFA World Cup quarter-final
1200 MW3 July 2018England v Colombia FIFA World Cup round of 16

Other events can cause even bigger pickups for the National Grid than television events. Immediately following the solar eclipse of 11 August 1999 there was a record demand of 3000 MW. This was the largest rapid increase that the grid had ever experienced but it had been anticipated and sufficient generating plant were made ready to accommodate the additional demand. Around 1000 MW of the demand was due to traditional TV pick-up demand caused by kettles, with the remainder arising from the return of people to their workplaces.
The Grid also plans for the opposite effect, a co-ordinated mass switch-off of appliances. Boxing Day is consistently, according to one employee, "the lowest of the low" power usage. At midday on 5 January 2005 a three minutes silence in remembrance of the Boxing Day Tsunami resulted in a 1300 MW temporary drop in consumption followed by a sudden 1400 MW rise. The 6 September 1997 funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales caused a 1000 MW drop.
Similar, though smaller, switch-offs occur annually at 11 am on Remembrance Day. These switch-offs occur during the day time, so they are smaller than pickups seen at night when more electrical appliances are likely to be in use. National Grid argued against the mass switch-off originally planned for the Live Earth and Planet Aid events as these would have resulted in highly unpredictable demands for electricity and would have generated more carbon dioxide than would have been saved. These events were subsequently cancelled.