Dark days ahead as gas cuts may mean UK braced for January blackouts

Under emergency plans, the UK is planning for several days over the winter when gas shortages could lead to organised blackouts for households and industry.

Britain could see an electricity capacity shortfall under the government’s latest reasonable worst-case scenarios Bloomberg confirmed on Tuesday, August 9.

While the UK is not adamant that there could be difficulties this winter the British public does face a massive rise in energy bills.

The news comes just weeks after it emerged that UK households could be asked to turn down their thermostats on their heating and switch off their lights under Government plans to avoid winter blackouts.

Emergency contingency plans for a gas or electricity supply shortage include public appeals to use less energy The Telegraph revealed on Saturday evening, July 23.

A document seen by The Telegraph states that via radio, television and social media as well as posters and leaflets, public appeals to cut electricity and gas usage could be delivered at regular intervals.

A deal could also be struck whereby the National Grid pays large users to switch off to avoid cutting supply elsewhere in a bid to try and avoid blackouts.

The director of the Energy Intensive Users Group, Arjan Geveke, which represents the industry, said calls on the public to reduce demand would be made before National Grid started paying the industry to shut down.

The Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) is an umbrella organisation that represents the interests of energy-intensive industrial (EII) consumers. Its objective is to achieve fair and competitive energy prices for British industry.

Arjan Geveke confirmed: “First of all they will want to do a public information campaign because that’s the least costly option,” he said. “There’s obviously an increased risk of security of supply in the winter.”

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