Where next for energy supplies?

I try not to repeat content when writing blogs and newsletters, but the escalating energy crisis means that individuals, organisations and even governments are having to consider impacts that weren’t apparent even a few months ago. It was only in February of this year that I wrote a blog titled “Don’t get caught out planning for the last war”. In it I pointed out that organisations mustn’t just focus on cyber attacks and pandemics - they need to think of crisis scenarios that could be coming down the line. 

We have worked with the National Grid, who owns and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. We have rehearsed with them the scenario of rolling power cuts across the UK so we have a pretty good idea of how it might play out. This type of scenario becomes ever more likely as the current energy crisis deepens.

So, from my earlier blog:

Its not difficult to imagine a winter of high energy use where hospitals, care homes and ‘critical national infrastructure’ are going to be prioritised, but that homes and businesses will face regional power cuts for several hours a week. Those staff working from home aren’t going to have the benefits of backup generators. They face losing internet, phones and power for computers as well as heating and light. Does a business then have to plan to get more people back to the office at short notice? Have we checked the backup generators? Does the uninterruptible power supply trip when required? Can we easily divert work streams to staff in unaffected areas?

Those of us with grey hair remember the power cuts inflicted on homes and businesses in the UK in the 1970’s. Yes, it all sounds like a remote threat, but so did a pandemic.