Power Supplies - The Effect of Population Growth

The Office for National Statistics has published its forecasts for UK population growth. Total estimated population rises by 2016 are England , 8%; Northern Ireland , 7%; Wales , 5%; Scotland 3%. It estimates the UK population will grow to 65 million by 2016 (in nine years’ time), an increase of 4.4 million. As everyone will be using more and more power from the existing infrastructure, we can only assume that power outages will become common place. It is also suggested the population would reach 71 million by 2031 (24 years’ time) and 77 million in 2051 (44 years). Half of the increase is projected to come from immigration. Estimates of the amount of immigration have increased to a net 190,000 annually, from 145,000. The total UK residents aged 75 and over is estimated to increase to 5.5 million from 4.7 million by 2016 and to 8.2 million by 2031. Just over half of the population growth to 2031 will be due to more births than deaths, according to the projection. A Conservative spokesman called for a ‘gradual and sensible growth of population rather than this headlong growth in population which is bound to put extra strain on public services such as provision of housing and education.’ The chairman of pressure group Migration watch said, ‘Population growing at this speed is just incredible - twice the population of London by the mid-century.’ He referred to the huge impact on our infrastructure and public services. The patron of the Optimum Population Trust think-tank, Jonathon Porritt, called for an ‘intelligent debate’ on growing numbers of people in the UK . ‘We need figures - not just the growth of population but where it is growing and how, and the impact on services, the economy and the power infrastructure of the UK , on this already congested island.’ Evan Davis, the BBC News Economics Editor, spoke about shoehorning the population into existing hospitals, schools and roads. He saw the figures as a wake-up call to think about how the process of absorbing population growth was managed.

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