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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Dave Burke

Brits could be told to turn down thermostats and switch off lights amid blackout fears

Emergency plans are being drawn up amid fears of blackouts over the winter, it is claimed.

Brits could be asked to switch off lights and turn down their thermostats to avoid misery in the coming month.

It comes as other European nations urge their populations to take shorter showers and take steps to save energy.

Reports tonight claim bosses at the National Grid have held meetings with energy firms to work out ways to avoid power shortages and blackouts.

It is feared that Russia's reduction of supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline could cause misery for European consumers.

Large scale industrial users could also be paid to switch off power, it is claimed.

Ministers are said to believe that rising prices will see Brits cut their electricity and gas use (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Documents seen by The Telegraph show the Government is considering issuing advice to householders.

Arjan Geveke, director of the Energy Intensive Users Group, said: “First of all they will want to do a public information campaign because that’s the least costly option.

“There’s obviously an increased risk of security of supply in the winter.”

Next month, National Grid will release an early winter outlook, with bosses expecting it to be a difficult season.

Analysis by consultancy EnAppSys for The Telegraph found there is a risk of blackouts in the UK as a result of gas supply issues.

But ministers are said to believe that rising prices mean people will use less energy without Government intervention.

A UK Government spokesperson told The Telegraph: “The UK has no issues with either gas or electricity supply and the Government is fully prepared for any scenario, even those that are extreme and very unlikely to occur."

They said the National Grid has "standard, long-standing emergency procedures" for the "extremely unlikely" event of a supply emergency.

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