As the energy prices continue to rise this year, UK households have been warned to prepare for planned blackouts during the winter.
The National Grid ESO has warned that if a gas supply shortage does occur, they may be forced to impose three-hour power outages early next year. The Daily Record reports that this outage could see people without electricity for hours on end.
With the power possibly being shut off, there is a chance that a surge of electricity when it comes back on could damage some appliances. Some everyday essentials should remain unplugged during these outages, to protect them.
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These include televisions, irons and home computers. If the blackouts do happen they would be on weekday evenings in January and February when it is particularly cold, according to National Grid boss John Pettigrew.
This means that unplugging the essential appliances before going to bed during these months could well be important, to stop any damage while people are asleep.
At the Financial Times' Energy Transition Summit, Mr Pettigrew admitted fuel for Britain's power stations, which generates most of the nation's power through gas, could be scarce by January in the worst case scenarios. This news means that blackouts would most likely happen on "really cold evenings" between 4pm and 7pm in January and February.
To prepare, people are being urged to stock up on torches and batteries so that they can get through the hours of darkness without electricity. Candles are also a popular choice for lighting up the home, but experts have warned that these could pose safety risks.
There is yet to be confirmation on if the blackouts will definitely take place, as it would deal with a number of factors. These include if the UK fails to secure enough gas from other countries in time for 2023 - especially if the country experiences colder weather than expected.
This is combined with lower than usual wind speeds for wind turbines and restricted electricity imports via subsea cables from other European countries such as Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
If the blackouts do go ahead, the plans will need to be agreed upon by the Government and King Charles III before they take place.
A Government spokesperson said: "The UK has a secure and diverse energy system.
"To strengthen this position further, we have put plans in place to secure supply and National Grid, working alongside energy suppliers and Ofgem, will launch a voluntary service to reward users who reduce demand at peak times."
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