Why do grid operator have to pay customer to use up the excess electricity to avoid the potential blackout. But can’t they ground it into the literal ground/earth?
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Grid always has to be in balance (110v-60Hz or 220v-50Hz), otherwise brownouts or blackouts will occur. There are many safeguards to prevent under and over production of electricity on plant level and managed by grid. When there is an unexpected drop in demand grid operator can say one or more plants to cut production but grid operator has to pay the plant for this to happen. They will pay plant to not produce. It is not being greedy on plant side since it takes about eight hours for natural gas plant to completely stop and it will continue to produce in the process also cost of starting a plant again is kinda too high. I had optimized a code that optimizes power plant and let me tell you it is crazy, an hourly production plan for the next 20 years crazy.
Now which plants do receive this kind of orders? There is a market for this and they bid how much they can produce extra and how much they can cut, and for how much money. Electricity is a trade-able entity so every one is trying to cut the losses. If cost of you using is lower than plant bids, just use it man, it means lower electricity bill on average for everyone.
Disclosure: my company develops systems for electricity producers and traders. It is infinitely complex and fun system, so my information is not 100%, but that should cover it
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