UK could face ‘days of blackouts’ this winter in government’s emergency energy plan

The UK government is reportedly planning days of organised blackouts this winter in preparation for cold weather gas shortages.

According to Bloomberg, below-average temperatures and reduced electricity imports from Norway and France could force the UK to trigger emergency measures to conserve gas.

In response to this, the government is allegedly drawing up plans for its ‘worst-case-scenario’, which will see Brits endure organised blackouts. 

In a statement, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the scenario is ‘not something we expect to happen’, adding: “Households, businesses and industry can be confident they will get the electricity and gas they need.”

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However, hospitals are already said to be preparing for these fuel shortages, with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Kit Malthouse telling Talk TV:”We are making plans for all sorts of contingencies across public services, particularly critical areas like health.

“One of the plans we talk about is coincidence of events, but we need to make sure that all those hospitals that need access to power have their standby generators properly serviced, they’ve got diesel tanks full with diesel that might be required.”

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Many people have compared the plans to the infamous 1970s blackouts caused by strikes. 

There, workers were reduced to a three-day working week and TV companies including the BBC and ITV were forced to stop broadcasting at 10.30pm each night.

This comes after worrying new figures from Cornwall Insight forecasted that the average household will be paying over £4,000 for their annual energy bills from January 2023.

The previous forecast was £3,729 – that’s a rise of £650.

Cornwall insight said it had increased its forecast due to the continuing rise in wholesale prices and an expected change in methodology for how the energy price cap is calculated.

Dr. Craig Lowrey, principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, described the predicted increase in January as a ‘fresh shock’.

He said: “It is essential that the government use our predictions to spur on a review of the support package being offered to consumers.”