Britain is drawing up plans for organized blackouts in January

Britain is drawing up plans for organized power outages to industry and households during the winter, when cold temperatures are likely to coexist with natural gas shortages, Bloomberg News reported yesterday, Tuesday.

Reduced power generation capacity could account for 1/6 of peak power demand, according to the government’s latest “worst-case” scenario, even after the emergency power plants operate from burning coal, according to Bloomberg, which cited sources with knowledge of the government’s plans.

Under the worst-case scenario, with below-average temperatures and reduced energy imports from Norway and France, Britain could be exposed for a four-day period in January, when emergency measures may be needed for the reduction of natural gas consumption, according to the same press report.

The ministry responsible for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Bloomberg’s report comes after the Bank of England warned last week that Britain is on course for a prolonged recession as unprecedented energy price rises have pushed inflation to near 13%. However, any political reaction was blocked by the internal race among the Conservatives to elect a new prime minister on 5 September.

As European governments seek to save natural gas by curbing its use and increase their reserves after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the British government is divided into two camps warning of different responses to the developments, with on the one hand the Minister of Foreign Affairs Liz Truss and on the other hand the former Minister of Finance of the government Rishi Sunak who are contending for the Prime Ministership.

Charities, business groups and politicians have called on Truss and Sunak to spell out how they will help Britons cope with an 82% rise in energy prices in October.

SOURCE: AMPE