London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 21, 2025

Winter power blackouts 'extremely unlikely' but UK must 'plan for every scenario', says minister

Winter power blackouts 'extremely unlikely' but UK must 'plan for every scenario', says minister

Power blackouts this winter are "extremely unlikely" this winter, Cabinet Office Minister Nadhim Zahawi has told.

The Tory frontbencher also insisted there was no need for the government to spend £14m on an energy-saving public information campaign, given the advice already available.

Mr Zahawi's comments come amid concerns of power cuts with the squeeze on energy supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In a wide-ranging interview with Trevor Phillips on the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Mr Zahawi also:

• Urged party unity in the face of infighting following the planned tax cuts chaos

• Insisted no decision had been made on increasing benefits in line with soaring inflation rather than wages

• Stressed the need to tackle "bad migration" as some foreign students bring more than six dependents with them

Pressed on the possibility of planned blackouts, Mr Zahawi said: "It's extremely unlikely."

While stressing the UK's energy resilience, he added: "But it's only right that we plan for every scenario.

"All I would say is we have a buffer, the same buffer as last year, and so I'm confident that come Christmas, come the cold weather, we will continue to be in that resilient place, but it's only right we have looked at every scenario."

The government has also resisted calls for it to encourage people to reduce their overall energy use, despite warnings of a heightened risk of power cuts, with ministers arguing it was "not a nanny-state".

It follows reports Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg had signed-off a public information campaign only for the plan to be ruled out by Prime Minister Liz Truss.

She has instead highlighted the importance of increasing energy production in the UK to prevent further crises and sought to reassure the country that "we will get through this winter".

Mr Zahawi said: "What the National Grid is doing with Ofgem is also having a communication programme to tell people how they can do better.

"We, ourselves, if you go on gov.uk you will be able to see how you can actually help your home or your business conserve energy."

Tackled about reports Mr Rees-Mogg had agreed an information drive, Mr Zahawi replied: "The question you ask is about spending £14m on a campaign. That I think is the wrong thing.

"The National Grid and Ofgem and actually a number of the energy providers are using the direct communication with households to be able to say 'here are some measures you can take'."

He added: "What we're not doing is spending £14m on a government campaign."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
×