{
  "id": 461793,
  "title": "Millions in Great Britain can now face emergency power cuts at short notice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/millions-in-great-britain-can-now-face-emergency-power-cuts-at-short",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-10T10:27:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/10/great-britain-emergency-power-cuts-grid-neso-blackouts"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New rules in Great Britain allow the national electricity system operator, Neso, to potentially trigger rolling blackouts for millions of households without government intervention. This contingency measure is intended for use when energy supplies are critically low, enabling Neso to disconnect enough homes and businesses to reduce each block's electricity consumption by over 20 percent. Such rolling blackouts could last up to three hours and be rotated across the country, as a last resort to stabilize the grid and prevent total collapse. The changes, which took effect this week, mark the first time Neso can implement large-scale power cuts without needing emergency government authorization. The new grid codes, approved quietly by the industry regulator, were introduced weeks after Neso whistleblowers criticized senior leaders for attempting to conceal blackout risks during a heatwave. Neso stresses that these last-resort blackouts would only be utilized in extreme situations after all other options have been exhausted. The new rules bridge a gap between Neso's existing short-term power cut authority, which hasn't been used since the 1970s, and the government's broader emergency powers for extended disruptions. Notably, certain sites like hospitals, water treatment facilities, and areas of national security will be exempt from any planned power cuts. The government's electricity supply emergency code, never before activated, requires the Energy Secretary's approval to implement rolling blackouts affecting 90 percent of users during prolonged outages. While the new protocol offers a similar scope for quicker response, it can be initiated more rapidly in response to short-lived supply shortages, such as during particularly cold winter evenings.",
  "summary": "Exclusive: Grid operator Neso can now respond with rolling blackouts as last resort without need for government powers Business live – latest updates Millions of households could face power cuts at short notice under new rules to help the electricity system operator avoid widespread blackouts when energy supplies run low. The changes, which come into effect this week, will make it easier for the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}