{"id":421109,"date":"2026-01-12T18:11:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T17:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421109"},"modified":"2026-01-12T22:37:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T21:37:47","slug":"britain-at-risk-of-electricity-rationing-before-general-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421109","title":{"rendered":"Britain at risk of electricity rationing before general\u00a0election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Paul Homewood<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Net Zero lunacy gathers pace:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the Telegraph:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Headline<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Britain risks electricity rationing by the next general election unless its fleet of ageing <\/strong><\/em>gas-fired power stations<\/em><\/a> is urgently upgraded, a new report has warned.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than a dozen of Britain\u2019s gas-fired power stations are so old that they may not last until the end of the decade and key parts required to upgrade them take years to arrive on order, energy consultancy Watt-Logic said.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It called on Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, to face up to the threat amid <\/em>growing concern<\/em><\/a> over UK power supplies, which still rely largely on gas despite the expansion of renewables.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout urgent action to secure dispatchable generation and stabilise the gas network, the UK faces escalating risks of supply shortfalls and widespread system failures well before 2030,\u201d the report warns.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt will be difficult to meet existing demand without rationing, let alone any additional demand from electrification.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About a third of the UK\u2019s electricity is generated by gas-fired power plants \u2013 but on windless days, this proportion can double.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathryn Porter, from Watt-Logic, warned that in five years time \u2013 just after the next general election \u2013 many of those gas plants could be offline and there are currently no plans to replace them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said a third of the fleet had been built in the 1990s and \u201cwhile most received upgrades in the 2000s, in most cases this did not involve replacing rotors [a key component prone to wear]\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis means the anticipated retirement dates are becoming imminent and there is no replacement and minimal upgrade plans in place,\u201d she added.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It means the risk of electricity rationing during the winter months will increase over the next five years \u2013 peaking between 2028 and 2031 \u2013 because of the loss in energy production.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The loss will be made worse by the planned shutdown of the UK\u2019s ageing nuclear stations. Eight of the 10 remaining reactors face closure before or in 2030.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full story here.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have been warning this would happen for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But still NESO and DESNZ continue to bury their heads in the sand and gaslight us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding to the report, a Neso spokesman said: \u201cGreat Britain has one of the most secure energy systems in the world\u2026 our engineers are confident Britain\u2019s grid will continue to operate safely and securely as <\/em>more renewables<\/em><\/a> connect to the network in the years ahead.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: \u201cThe National Energy System Operator,  has been clear the faster we decarbonise, the more secure we are.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGas will continue to play a key role in our energy system as we transition to clean, more secure, homegrown energy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why we are also delivering the biggest upgrade to Great Britain\u2019s electricity network in decades to deliver clean power by 2030 and beyond.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we used to have \u201cone of the most secure energy systems\u201d, but we certainly have not now. As for more renewables making us more secure, NESO know this is untrue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was them who warned in their Clean Power 2030 report in 2024 that we would still need our full fleet of gas power stations for many years to come. They know full well that wind and solar power cannot supply all of the power we need day in, day out, even with contributions from nuclear, biomass and imports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can triple wind and solar power capacity, but three times nothing is still nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miliband knows that the real problems will start to kick in after the next election, so he will do his utmost to destroy the country before then, knowing he won\u2019t have to face the consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Britain risks electricity rationing by the next general election unless its fleet of ageing\u00a0gas-fired power stations\u00a0is urgently upgraded, a new report has warned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":421113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvaTAud3AuY29tXC9jbGltYXRlLXNjaWVuY2UucHJlc3NcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjZcLzAxXC9BUVBlckhJTy04Q05XcW9zYThKYXRpRXM1Ykxnd2VBOE82dXdsZVAzZmdIdnFGSTluNjktRnpyU0VHSFRNRWdkZDZGT3FZUlRZN1VsaHRQRFFrVHg4UXlITDBrSW90VlpyMDduRmVCTDRRc0ZBTHhnQ0RXYTF3SnhRSHR2Z1B1NmpYM3VkQzB0SWVyX3RVQlRnTURHSDBwM0xnTXNidy0xLmpwZWc_Zml0PTcyMyUyQzcyMyZzc2w9MSIsInR4dCI6IkJyaXRhaW4gYXQgcmlzayBvZiBlbGVjdHJpY2l0eSByYXRpb25pbmcgYmVmb3JlIGdlbmVyYWxcdTAwYTBlbGVjdGlvbiIsInRlbXBsYXRlIjoiaGlnaHdheSIsImZvbnQiOiIiLCJibG9nX2lkIjoxNTU4MTI0NDl9.lUnPOhqC6m_glpsKrCM_UFMY1YOORNRAieKmcJYxu80MQ"},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691820686,691829913,691831484,691818155,691831352,691819094],"class_list":["post-421109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-desnz","tag-energy-industry","tag-energy-secretary-ed-miliband","tag-gas","tag-neso","tag-renewable-green-energy","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Ly5","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":239009,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=239009","url_meta":{"origin":421109,"position":0},"title":"Wind Power Collapses During Calm Weather Means Soaring Power Prices & Power Rationing","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/10\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"These days, when calm weather sets in, and the limited remaining capacity from dispatchable coal and gas-fired plants is spent, Britain\u2019s (hopeful) power consumers soon find themselves sitting freezing in the dark.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/0Screenshot-2023-01-10-213745-1.png?fit=987%2C782&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/0Screenshot-2023-01-10-213745-1.png?fit=987%2C782&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/0Screenshot-2023-01-10-213745-1.png?fit=987%2C782&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/0Screenshot-2023-01-10-213745-1.png?fit=987%2C782&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":259977,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=259977","url_meta":{"origin":421109,"position":1},"title":"Europe\u2019s Renewables Reckoning: Power Rationing & Punishing Power Prices Killing\u00a0Thousands","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/01\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"For the poorest and most vulnerable, staying warm in winter is a daily battle for survival. Thanks to Europe\u2019s (literally suicidal) wind and solar \u2018transition\u2019, power prices have spiralled out of control and in Germany power rationing is now routine, likewise in Britain.","rel":"","context":"In \"energy crisis\"","block_context":{"text":"energy crisis","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy-crisis"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0cold-couple-sitting-near-radiator.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0cold-couple-sitting-near-radiator.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0cold-couple-sitting-near-radiator.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0cold-couple-sitting-near-radiator.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0cold-couple-sitting-near-radiator.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":277876,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=277876","url_meta":{"origin":421109,"position":2},"title":"Net Zero Fail: UK Government to Forcibly Switch Your Appliances Off","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/08\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Imagine needing government permission to turn up your winter heating when you catch Covid, or pleading with bureaucrats to allow you to heat more rooms in your house. But don\u2019t call it energy rationing.","rel":"","context":"In \"CO2\"","block_context":{"text":"CO2","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-271.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-271.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-271.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-271.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-271.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":441167,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=441167","url_meta":{"origin":421109,"position":3},"title":"UK Mobile Networks Warn of Signal Rationing as Energy Crisis Deepens","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/24\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"UK mobile network operators (including VodafoneThree, Virgin Media O2, and BT\/EE) have warned the government that soaring electricity costs\u2014exacerbated by the ongoing Middle East conflict involving Iran\u2014could force them to consider \"worst-case\" measures like rationing signal access, throttling data speeds, or introducing surge pricing at peak times.","rel":"","context":"In \"British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)\"","block_context":{"text":"British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=british-industrial-competitiveness-scheme-bics"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-UK-Mobile-Networks-Warn-of-Signal-Rationing-as-Energy-Crisis-Deepens.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-UK-Mobile-Networks-Warn-of-Signal-Rationing-as-Energy-Crisis-Deepens.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-UK-Mobile-Networks-Warn-of-Signal-Rationing-as-Energy-Crisis-Deepens.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0-UK-Mobile-Networks-Warn-of-Signal-Rationing-as-Energy-Crisis-Deepens.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":409599,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=409599","url_meta":{"origin":421109,"position":4},"title":"A Bright New Energy Dawn in the UK","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"10\/22\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It was just a couple of weeks ago \u2014 October 3 to be precise \u2014 that I reported that the long-running \u201cnet zero\u201d political consensus in the UK was finally \u201ccrumbling.\u201d In the intervening two-plus weeks, the slow crumbling has turned into a rapid collapse.","rel":"","context":"In \"2008 Climate Act\"","block_context":{"text":"2008 Climate Act","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=2008-climate-act"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQPFkba-iPXbZXwx1gi5NDA1Q5BnMBORFRN4xc-K5sIPXD_jkSekMpb6S7iAWNEHX2JGSgAYjmwBY8-_RckEpqIb9IPKfVnxxXkK_ldlahOnxHzZpx8vox4WFo_1RJ9h-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQPFkba-iPXbZXwx1gi5NDA1Q5BnMBORFRN4xc-K5sIPXD_jkSekMpb6S7iAWNEHX2JGSgAYjmwBY8-_RckEpqIb9IPKfVnxxXkK_ldlahOnxHzZpx8vox4WFo_1RJ9h-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQPFkba-iPXbZXwx1gi5NDA1Q5BnMBORFRN4xc-K5sIPXD_jkSekMpb6S7iAWNEHX2JGSgAYjmwBY8-_RckEpqIb9IPKfVnxxXkK_ldlahOnxHzZpx8vox4WFo_1RJ9h-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQPFkba-iPXbZXwx1gi5NDA1Q5BnMBORFRN4xc-K5sIPXD_jkSekMpb6S7iAWNEHX2JGSgAYjmwBY8-_RckEpqIb9IPKfVnxxXkK_ldlahOnxHzZpx8vox4WFo_1RJ9h-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0AQPFkba-iPXbZXwx1gi5NDA1Q5BnMBORFRN4xc-K5sIPXD_jkSekMpb6S7iAWNEHX2JGSgAYjmwBY8-_RckEpqIb9IPKfVnxxXkK_ldlahOnxHzZpx8vox4WFo_1RJ9h-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":410148,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=410148","url_meta":{"origin":421109,"position":5},"title":"A Bright New Energy Dawn in The UK","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"10\/25\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It was just a couple of weeks ago \u2014 October 3 to be precise \u2014 that I reported that the long-running \u201cnet zero\u201d political consensus in the UK was finally \u201ccrumbling.\u201d In the intervening two-plus weeks, the slow crumbling has turned into a rapid collapse.","rel":"","context":"In \"2008 Climate Act\"","block_context":{"text":"2008 Climate Act","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=2008-climate-act"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQPerHIO-8CNWqosa8JatiEs5bLgweA8O6uwleP3fgHvqFI9n69-FzrSEGHTMEgdd6FOqYRTY7UlhtPDQkTx8QyHL0kIotVZr07nFeBL4QsFALxgCDWa1wJxQHtvgPu6jX3udC0tIer_tUBTgMDGH0p3LgMsbw-1.jpeg?fit=1280%2C1280&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=421109"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":421118,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421109\/revisions\/421118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/421113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=421109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=421109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=421109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}