Our homes could be plunged into darkness this winter as the boss of the National Grid has warned of planned blackouts on "really cold evenings". Although described as a worst case scenario by National Grid CEO John Pettigrew, the UK Government has put in place some emergency measures in case they do happen.
Programme Yarrow is a confidential document that kicks into action in the event of a blackout. It was created in 2021, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine put a strain on UK gas supplies, according to a report in The Mirror.
The document warns that all sectors, including transport, food and water supplies, communications and energy could be severely disrupted for up to a week during blackouts, says a similar article in the Guardian. With that in mind, here's what it could mean for UK households if the blackouts go ahead.
Food transported to the most vulnerable
The plans suggest there will be a focus on getting food, water and shelter to the vulnerable, including the elderly, the young, and carers. A series of tests with government departments and councils are reported to have taken place over the past few days.
The type of technical fault that could lead to these measures being launched include flood damage, a lightning strike on a substation, or an attack by a hostile state on power cables under the sea.
Emergency broadcasts on Radio 2 and Radio 4
In the worst-case scenario, only analogue FM radios would work, with just BBC Radio 2 and 4 broadcasting. The BBC has reportedly prepared scripts for presenters to read on-air. However, many local radio stations will only have a couple of hours of back-up generator cover.
Programme Yarrow was designed for situations where power is unavailable, without no warning, to all areas without backup generators over the colder months. The plan suggests 60 per cent of electricity demand will be met "between day two and day seven", when households and businesses will have intermittent access.
An agreement between energy regulator Ofgem and National Grid states 100 per cent of the electricity demand should be restored after one week.
Three-hour blackouts
In the most severe situations, British homes could face three-hour planned blackouts between 4pm and 7pm. If necessary, it's likely they will happen in January and February next year "on those weekdays when it's really, really cold". People will be given 24 hours' notice of a blackout.
The plan, designed to cut power evenly across the country, could be published up to a week ahead on a rolling basis to allow people prepare themselves. The National Grid has composed an incentive strategy, starting this month, where they will pay companies and households to reduce demand during times of low supply.
A government spokesperson told the Mirror: "It is right that we plan for all potential scenarios and work with the industry to prepare and exercise robust contingency plans. This work is ongoing and is an important strand of our national resilience planning.
"Local and national exercises are a part of this work and ensure that we are able to effectively respond to any scenario, no matter how unlikely it may be."
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