Five things the government can do to avoid energy blackouts in the short, medium and long term

National Grid has warned that Britain could face energy blackouts this winter if we see a combination of cold weather, low wind, and disruptions to energy imports from Europe.

The electricity and gas system operator has said blackouts are unlikely, but in a worst-case scenario households could have their energy shut off for three hours at a time.

Workers in the industry, including thousands of Prospect members, will do everything they can to maintain energy supplies over winter, but the government must face up to its responsibility to keep the lights on.

Energy blackouts are not inevitable, so what should government be doing to avoid them, now and in the future?

Launch a public energy-saving campaign

Countries across Europe have rolled out public information campaigns advising households on how to cut their energy use. Simple steps such as using dishwashers and washing machines at times of low demand could ease pressure on the energy system. Other measures, like turning thermostats down, have the added benefit of helping consumers lower their energy bills.

The government has reportedly considered using a text alert service to give the public advice on cutting power use, but has so far been inexplicably reluctant to launch such a scheme. It is time for them to drop their opposition. In the face of an energy security crisis, we need to use every tool at our disposal.

Rapidly retrofit homes across the country

Britain has some of the oldest and draughtiest homes in Europe. Retrofitting buildings with things like double glazing and insulation can reduce the amount of energy needed to keep them warm – bringing overall demand (and our energy bills) down.

We know we need to upgrade millions of homes across the country anyway to meet our net zero goals. Local authorities are beginning to put programmes in place, but government funding and coordination is needed to deliver a national retrofit campaign at speed.

Lord Deben, the chair of the Climate Change Committee, has said it is not too late to roll out an urgent home insulation campaign for winter. The blackout warning should be a wake-up call for the government to get on with it.

Expand demand flexibility

National Grid is launching a ‘demand flexibility service’ at the start of November, paying businesses and households with smart meters to use power outside of peak periods.

Suppliers including Octopus and Ovo have signed up to the service, which National Grid hopes can free up as much as 2GW of capacity. But given concerns that payments might be too low to encourage participation, the operator will have to keep a watchful eye on the scheme to ensure its success.

With nearly half of homes yet to have a smart meter installed, not all households are equipped for demand flexibility. The government has a target of a smart meter in every home by 2025 but needs to drive energy suppliers to speed up installation and enable greater flexibility in future.

Support renewables and new nuclear

The risk of blackouts is the latest symptom of a decade of failed energy policy. Our over-reliance on imported fossil fuels has left us dangerously exposed to the current crisis and the government has not delivered the clean energy infrastructure needed to guarantee our energy independence.

Accelerating the rollout of renewables such as onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar will boost our home-grown supply. But, as the National Grid scenarios indicate, we also need a steady supply of baseload power available whatever the weather. Nuclear is the only proven low-carbon technology that can deliver this at scale.

The Prime Minister needs to confirm the Government Investment Decision (GID) for Sizewell C to unlock private funding for the project and lay out its plans for Great British Nuclear to bring forward the next generation of nuclear plants.

Deliver a long-term strategy for energy security

Fundamentally, our energy security cannot be left to chance. The government set out ambitious targets in the British Energy Security Strategy published earlier this year but is yet to back these up with an equally ambitious plan for delivery.

We need a long-term approach to ensure we have the energy we need, whenever we need it. This should be co-ordinated by a national body that brings together experts and worker representatives, aligning action on energy security and net zero with a proper industrial strategy. That means investing in the workforce with fair pay, decent conditions, and a comprehensive plan for skills, as well as taking action to secure the whole energy supply chain.

Our energy system will face extraordinary challenges over the months and years to come. The government must do whatever it can to ensure businesses and households have the energy they need through this winter and beyond.

Joel Pearce is Prospect’s energy sector expert in our research team