{"id":120067,"date":"2026-05-05T10:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=120067"},"modified":"2026-05-05T10:03:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T09:03:59","slug":"odd-blackouts-new-energy-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/odd-blackouts-new-energy-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"Energy Warning: Octopus Chief Delivers Fresh Blackout Update Ahead of Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The head of the UK\u2019s largest energy supplier has suggested some households might accept occasional power cuts <\/strong>in exchange for lower bills. His comments come as energy costs rise and debate intensifies over investment in Britain\u2019s electricity network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remarks, made by Octopus Energy chief executive Greg Jackson<\/a>, highlight growing tension between affordability and reliability in the transition to cleaner energy. They also follow last year\u2019s major blackout in Spain and Portugal, which exposed vulnerabilities in modern power systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising household bills and the cost of infrastructure upgrades are central to the discussion. According to industry figures, network charges included in energy bills <\/strong>have increased significantly in recent years, placing additional pressure on consumers already facing higher costs due to global gas prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debate over Affordability and Tolerance for Outages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Greg Jackson told an industry conference that some consumers might prioritise lower electricity costs over uninterrupted supply. Referring to Spain, he said many households would accept \u201cthe odd blackout\u201d if it meant bills were around 25% lower<\/strong>, according to Utility Week, which first reported the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He clarified that he was not advocating for blackouts, but argued that attitudes may be shifting. Jackson suggested people are now less concerned about short disruptions<\/strong>, partly because of access to devices with battery life that can last several hours. He also noted that home battery systems, which his company sells, have become more affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comments come in the context of a major power outage in April 2025 that affected Spain and Portugal. According to reports at the time, tens of millions of people experienced disruptions to transport, communications and essential services. The incident resulted in at least six deaths, including individuals unable to operate medical equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite initial claims blaming renewable energy<\/a>, the official report found that multiple factors contributed to the blackout, including both conventional and renewable power sources as well as network issues. This has complicated the debate around the reliability of low-carbon energy <\/strong>systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get graphs & pricing for all 14 UK regions: https:\/\/t.co\/pZOU2zhDuJ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ABbIkZkGBl<\/a><\/p>— Energy Stats UK (@energystatsuk) May 5, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>