Hundreds of families could be left in the dark if the UK doesn’t build new power stations it has been claimed (Picture: Getty Images)
Energy prices are still sky high, and now a minister has said that we could face another power problem – blackouts.
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho claimed that the UK could face ‘blackouts’ if it doesn’t build new gas power stations.
Climate change campaigners hit back at the comments, saying that they ‘fly in the face’ of commitments to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
Here’s what we know about the chances of an energy blackout in the UK.
What is a blackout?
A blackout happens when the power grid fails. Usually, that happens when more power is being consumed than generated.
Power cuts can also happen during severe storms.
Sometimes, there are planned power cuts so that maintenance work can be carried out on the grid.
The government wants to build new gas power stations (Picture: Getty)
An emergency planned power cut might come into force if demand for electricity is greater than the amount being produced. An emergency planned power cut helps to balance out the supply.
To manage this risk, the National Grid has a scheme where it offers money to people who cut their electricity use at certain peak times.
The Demand Flexibility Service was launched for the first time last year.
Is the UK at risk of blackouts?
On Tuesday, Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho announced plans to build new gas power stations, which she said were needed to ‘back up’ renewable energy.
She said that without them, the UK could face ‘blackouts’.
That’s because the amount of electricity that renewable power produces fluctuates.
On a very stormy day, for instance, wind power will produce a lot of energy, but on calm days, it will produce very little.
Wind power is the UK’s biggest source of renewable energy (Picture: Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Right now, it’s difficult to store the energy produced by renewables to keep on standby for when demand is up.
To add to the issue, the need for electricity is set to rise as people swap petrol and diesel cars for electric ones and boilers for heat pumps.
The Climate Change Committee, which is the government’s independent climate watchdog, has said that a ‘small amount’ of gas generation without carbon capture is compatible with the government’s promise to decarbonise the UK’s energy system by 2035.
Carbon capture is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Some experts hope that the technology can be used on a large scale to lessen the impact of fossil fuels like oil and gas.
Last month, there were also warnings that that the UK could be ‘plunged into darkness’ as a series of power stations close their doors.
The National Grid have said that blackouts are ‘highly unlikely and very much a worst-case scenario’.
Do we need more gas power stations to stop blackouts?
Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace, warned that the plan to build new gas power stations would ‘make Britain more dependent on the very fossil fuels that sent out bills rocketing and the planet’s temperature soaring.’
‘The only route to a low-cost, secure and clean energy system is through attracting massive private investment to develop renewables and upgrade our aging grid,’ he said.
The UK has made a commitment to make all electricity sources low-carbon by 2035 and to reach net zero by 2050.
What does net zero mean and why does it matter?
Net zero means achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions going into the atmosphere and the amount that we remove.
Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are emitted when we burn fossil fuels such as oil or gas for energy.
We can also remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Trees can remove carbon dioxide, and new technologies like carbon capture can help too.
Gas power isn’t the only way to ‘back up’ renewables.
Electricity interconnectors – which are power cables that run across the sea floor – mean that we could share electricity with other countries.
For example, if it’s a really windy day in Norway, the UK could take some of the excess energy produced by its wind turbines.
Advances in battery technology also mean that we could store electricity produced by renewables for longer.
Nuclear energy could also play a big role in the UK’s net zero transition.
Labour shadow energy secretary said that the party would consider opening new gas power stations if it came into power, but only in a ‘limited backup role’ alongside carbon capture.
In response to the new plans, Miliband said: ‘The reason the Tories cannot deliver the lower bills and energy security we need is that they are specialists in failure when it comes to our clean energy future’.
Where does the UK’s energy come from?
Around a third of the UK’s energy currently comes from gas. It makes up the biggest share of fossil fuel electricity sources.
Around half of that gas comes from the North Sea. The UK imports the rest – much of which comes from Norway.
Gas prices have been on the rise (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 had a big impact on gas prices, as Europe relied on Russian imports for its gas supply.
According to analysis by Carbon Brief, 43% of the UK’s electricity comes from renewables like wind and solar power, and 13% comes from nuclear, which is seen as a low-carbon source.
What to do if there’s a power outage in your area
Keeping candles and battery-powered torches around your home can be handy if a power cut occurs.
If you experience a power cut, contact the electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) in your area. You can find this on their postcode lookup tool.
The National Grid says that blackouts are ‘highly unlikley’ (Picture: Getty Images)
Keep your fridge and freezer door closed, and if you’re unsure how long the outage will last, cover with a blanket to ensure your food stays cold for as long as possible.
Check in on vulnerable neighbours.
While you may be able to claim compensation in some power cut circumstances, such as if a severe storm causes an outage that lasts more than 24 hours, you can’t claim compensation if a blackout is caused by a national power shortage.
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