# Time for some patriotic gloating - Is it true Britain has 'the most advanced power... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-some-patriotic-gloating-is-it-true-britain-has-the-most-advanced-power/460976 "2008-08-22T23:36:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-some-patriotic-gloating-is-it-true-britain-has-the-most-advanced-power/460976/41 "2008-08-25T01:31:28Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] I’ll comment that when **hibernicus** and I went to the Dinorwig Pumped Storage station (remember that trip, Hibby?), we saw a video which was very much focused on the use of their power for supplying simultaneous kettles being switched on. [/QUOTE] It’s a good thing about the kettles, because as far as I can tell Dinorwig actually acts as a net drain on the UK grid. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-some-patriotic-gloating-is-it-true-britain-has-the-most-advanced-power/460976/42 "2008-08-25T17:01:32Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] I’ll comment that when **hibernicus** and I went to the Dinorwig Pumped Storage station (remember that trip, Hibby?), we saw a video which was very much focused on the use of their power for supplying simultaneous kettles being switched on. [/QUOTE] Yes indeed, I do remember our visit to Dinorwig. Ironically, although my company has a similar pumped storage power station, Turlough Hill, I have never visited it. **Really Not All That Bright** , the pumped storage stations do use more energy (pumping) than they generate, so in that sense you are right that they are a drain on the system. But their ability to store cheap electricity and release it at periods of high demand, displacing expensive peaking plant, is very valuable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-some-patriotic-gloating-is-it-true-britain-has-the-most-advanced-power/460976.md?page=2)