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UK · 10 August 2026

What happens next with Great Britain's emergency power cuts

What happens next with Great Britain's emergency power cuts

Image by feepikcontributorthailand on Freepik

New rules coming in this week mean the national electricity system operator can now call for rotating blackouts with only eight hours' notice. These three-hour cuts would affect homes and businesses in designated areas to prevent a total system collapse. For the first occasion, the system operator is able to implement extensive power cuts without requiring emergency government powers.

Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs

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Why might power cuts happen? What are rotating blackouts? Who runs our electricity?

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