Base load

This demand can be met by unvarying power plants[3] or dispatchable generation,[4] depending on which approach has the best mix of cost, availability and reliability in any particular market.

[8] Grid operators take long and short term bids to provide electricity over various time periods and balance supply and demand continuously.

[13][14] Grid operators solicit bids to find the cheapest sources of electricity over short and long term buying periods.

Some combined-cycle plants usually fuelled by gas, can provide baseload power,[21][need quotation to verify][obsolete source]as well as being able to be cost-effectively cycled up and down to match more rapid fluctuations in consumption.

[8][6] By 2019, Steve Holliday had left his position as CEO of National Grid plc and went on the record to say that, "It’s hard to conceive that nuclear does not have an important role to play"[22]

Some early nuclear plants, such as the VVER-440 (pictured at Metsamor ) were designed for baseload operation [ 1 ]
Grids with high penetration of renewable energy sources generally need more flexible generation rather than baseload generation