Fines for power companies after UK power cut but more needs to be done
The massive UK power cut of Aug 2019 affected more than a million people.
Some trains stopped running and traffic lights failed - many believe it was lucky nobody was seriously hurt.
Now three firms will pay £10.5m. Issues are raised which are crucial to the future security of our power supplies.
As more renewable energy suppliers join the National Grid in future our power network will become increasingly complex.
It is vital the system can withstand such pressures and adapt. Failures after a lightning strike in August suggest the system it is not agile enough.
A portion of the energy bills paid by consumers is meant to be invested in ensuring reliability of supplies.
That a simple and predictable disruption like lightning could cause such widespread trouble suggests not enough has been done.
Fines for the firms will not solve these problems, we will need to see changes in the way the UK power system operates.