Blackout fears as National Grid pays factories NOT to use 40MW of electricity to keep the lights on tonight

Daily Mail

Britain is on the verge of an energy crisis as businesses are urged to cut their power tonight after multiple breakdowns at coal and gas-fired stations. For the first time National Grid issued a formal plea to factories and big industry to reduce demand and switch to back-up supplies. The move was tonight branded 'bonkers' and sent the wholesale cost of electricity soaring to 40 times normal levels as the firm tried to boost supplies between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.  ......Brian Strutton, national officer of the GMB union, said: 'It is less than a month ago since we warned that the Government and National Grid were far too complacent about the risks of widespread power blackouts. 'There can be eight to 10 days per month when there is not a lot of output from wind capacity."