Overview
- A confidential Cornwall Insight assessment for the National Energy System Operator (Neso), leaked to the press, concluded operators lack the models and visibility needed to manage Britain’s more complex electricity system.
- Internal Neso documents show five operational safety constraints were breached on June 23, a lapse that prompted Ofgem to open a compliance review and Neso to commission an external legal probe.
- An anonymous control-room engineer told reporters staff have raised concerns for about two years and warned the system is 'flying blind', saying modelling shortfalls make day-to-day balancing harder and increase risk of outages.
- Cornwall Insight quantified forecasting uncertainty could grow to roughly 7.7 gigawatts by the end of the decade and warned that last-minute purchases through the balancing mechanism would push up household bills.
- Neso and government spokespeople say the system remains reliable and that recommendations are being implemented but critics demand a truly independent inquiry, stronger whistleblower protections and clearer steps to address reduced visibility from renewables and interconnectors.