Power cuts in Britain are "a matter of time" if bosses at the National Energy System Operator (Neso) do not address underlying problems, an anonymous whistleblower has claimed. The engineer alleges that staff in the Neso control room still rely on pen and paper to forecast electricity demand, using A4 notepads alongside historical data and weather information due to inadequate computer systems.
Concerns have also been raised about Neso's Open Balancing Platform (OBP), a digital control system for managing the electricity grid. The whistleblower stated that the OBP wastes consumers' money by offering poor visibility of the network and sometimes overlooking the use of batteries when dispatching power. This comes after leaked documents suggested the network was close to shutting down on June 23 due to a shortage of wind and solar energy during extreme heat.
Energy watchdog Ofgem ordered an investigation in July into whistleblowing allegations concerning operational decision-making and record-keeping by Neso. The engineer believes this probe will ultimately conclude the system was secure, but "that doesn't tell the full story." They added that while the system was "right on the limit," executives publicly stated it was "completely secure." The whistleblower also questioned the optimism of data used in post-event modeling and expressed doubts about reliance on European interconnectors.
Neso has rejected claims that employees' operational concerns are routinely ignored or that power cuts are imminent. The operator denies that its control room relies on paper-based forecasting or that the OBP overlooks cheaper assets. However, previous whistleblowers claimed to The Mail on Sunday in July that grid bosses endangered lives by refusing to admit the system was on the brink of collapse, with control room engineers reportedly citing routine safety breaches and a catastrophic blackout as an "engineering certainty."
Insiders accused bosses of a cover-up, alleging they warned Neso and Ofgem executives for two years that the push for Net Zero had led to a loss of control over the system, but no action was taken. Energy consultant Kathryn Porter has also stated that the national grid is "more fragile than at any time since privatisation in 1990," citing proposals to reduce system inertia to save costs and meet Net Zero targets as a dangerous move that could increase the possibility of blackouts.
A Neso spokesman stated that the agency takes all allegations seriously but that speculation about the independent review's outcome should not be presented as fact. They asserted that Neso does not accept that employee concerns are routinely ignored and that its forecasting accuracy is regulated and publicly reported, disputing claims that the OBP overlooks cheaper assets.
An Ofgem spokesman confirmed that the watchdog is undertaking a review of how the system was managed during the June heatwave to establish regulatory compliance and identify lessons for future system security. Alongside this, an independent investigation will examine whistleblowing allegations related to operational decision-making and record-keeping during that period. Ofgem stated that both reviews will be conducted thoroughly, objectively, and transparently, and that action will be taken if necessary to ensure lessons are learned and improvements are made.