UK government takes drastic action to avoid Spain and Portugal blackouts

Yahoo

16-06-2025

The UK is taking another step closer to net zero as it prepares to run the entire electricity grid without the use of gas this summer, a move believed to help avoid blackouts which recently crippled Spain and Portugal.
The government-funded body National Energy System Operator (Neso) has announced plans to only use wind, solar, nuclear, battery storage and power imports for trial 30-minute periods, the Daily Express reports.
If this plan works, it would herald the beginning of Britain's future as a net zero power. If it fails, then the future of net zero could be called into question.
READ MORE: Martin Lewis explains Cash ISA rule change for anyone with multiple accounts
READ MORE: Santander paying £180 directly into bank accounts
READ MORE NatWest customers told to close bank accounts before September
Earlier this year Spain and Portugal were thrown into turmoil due to energy blackouts, an event some blamed on the nation's reliance on solar and wind power.
Ultimately, it seemed the blackouts were caused by a failure of the grid and the balancing inertia regime needed to maintain a stable power supply.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Jacob Mandel, from energy consultancy Aurora, called the move to net zero "inevitable."
He explained: 'It's inevitable at some point we'll see an hour or two when gas isn't running.
"That will be an important proof of concept for how the UK grid could look in the longer term.
'We've seen over the last few years gas use falling and falling, with more renewables built out in the UK and contributing to generation.'
Greg Jackson, the CEO of Octopus Energy, has warned that something needs to change in how the UK implements net zero before the nation can fully switch over to it.
'The more we build, the more expensive it gets," he told The Times.
Jackson added: 'The ­reality is, if prices continue to go up, one day the elastic snaps. And then you call an end to investment in renewables.
"The underlying economics of renewables are unbeatable. But our current system is not designed for it.'
Giving an example, he said: 'It's unconscionable. We've built a whole load of wind farms where there's no grid and then compensate the wind farms for the fact that there is no grid.
'If you built a factory where there are no roads and then demanded that you get paid by taxpayers for the stuff you could have made, that would be grotesque. But that's the electricity system we've created.'