![\"Energy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2205373103.jpg\")
\t\tThe national grid operator is ‘flying blind’ in accurate energy forecasting\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tSaturday 25 July 2026 10:31 am\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\tThe national grid operator is ‘flying blind’ in accurate energy forecasting\t<\/p>\n
The UK\u2019s net zero push risks leaving the country with higher electricity bills and more susceptible to blackouts, according to a leaked report commissioned by the national grid system. <\/p>\n
The report, produced by energy consultancy firm Cornwall Insight for the National Energy System Operator (Neso) and shared with The Times by a whistleblower, revealed that Neso cannot accurately map the modern power system amid the government\u2019s green energy push<\/a>. <\/p>\n The whistleblower warned that Neso, which is owned by the government, was \u201cflying blind, every minute of every day\u201d in its ability to understand energy supply and demand. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are risking a total blackout,\u201d they said. <\/p>\n The report found that inaccurate energy forecasts are inflating costs for consumers and leaving Neso less likely to be able to prevent blackouts. <\/p>\n The source added that national grid engineers \u201chave been raising these issues for two years\u201d already but said executives \u201care too scared politically to say renewables are making the system unsafe.\u201d <\/p>\n In it\u2019s report, the energy consultancy said the rise of renewable power sources such as wind farms, solar panels, and batteries, has given grid operators \u201creduced visibility of the capacity which is supplying and taking power from the GB network\u201d, complicating its ability to forecast supply and demand. <\/p>\n \u2018Extreme temperatures\u2019 hitting power supplies <\/p>\n The report was completed just weeks before the UK\u2019s June heatwave, and Neso has since warned<\/a> that the \u201cextreme temperatures\u201d may hit power supplies as households\u2019 fan and air conditioner use places a record strain on the grid.<\/p>\n An overnight notice, issued by Neso on 9 July, called on energy companies to generate additional power supply to satisfy demand during the heatwave. <\/p>\n This was the energy operator\u2019s second warning in a month, with the group group forced to call for more power during June\u2019s heatwave, which saw temperatures hit a record high of 37.7C<\/p>\n This follows two of the UK\u2019s leading energy industry bodies earlier this month calling on new prime minister Andy Burnham to slash green levies<\/a> on energy bills for businesses or risk jeopardising economic growth. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n