"Readjustment": Winter time reveals a weak point in the electricity grid

The switch to winter time widens the gap between solar generation and evening demand, necessitating the use of expensive fuels. A senior official at nGrid warns of worsening conditions with the entry of AI server farms and transportation electrification, and calls for energy storage and smart demand management.

The switch to winter time, which will take place on October 23, 2026, widens the gap between solar electricity generation, which fades early, and the peak demand of the business and industrial sectors that continues into the evening. This gap necessitates reliance on expensive fuels such as gas and coal. Gaia Ofer, Director of Trade and Regulation at nGrid, which supplies electricity to businesses, explains that while in retail demand is continuous, in industry and agriculture there are two main demand waves: in the morning and in the evening. The trend is expected to worsen with the entry of AI server farms and transportation electrification. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global data center electricity consumption will double by 2030. Ofer calls for establishing energy storage facilities and smart demand management, not just additional power plants.