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UK grid operator Neso denies cover-up allegations amid heatwave row
A late-June heat dome slowed wind turbines, caused gas plants to falter, and led French nuclear exports to Britain to pause as UK electricity demand surged for air conditioning.
Neso, the government-owned operator responsible for keeping Great Britain’s electricity grid stable during heatwaves, has rejected allegations raised in the UK Parliament that senior managers were involved in a cover-up over the extent of power system strain during record high temperatures in late June.
The Guardian Business reports that a high-pressure heat dome over Europe in late June disrupted generation by slowing wind turbines, contributing to failures at gas power plants, and prompting French nuclear plants exporting electricity to Britain to power down. At the same time, electricity demand rose as households increased use of air conditioning and refrigeration.
Earlier this month, Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho told parliament that whistleblowers alleged control room staff were pressured to skip normal note-keeping to avoid creating a full audit trail, and that the corporate affairs team tried to influence operators’ decisions to protect the organization’s reputation.
Neso’s denials come amid a wider political dispute over clean energy targets and the cost of reaching net zero, as employees who spoke out said they were concerned the grid was becoming harder to manage and that decisions by senior leadership were risking blackouts to protect Neso’s reputation.