Probe into National Grid amid claims Red Ed's obsession with Net Zero made power chiefs mislead MPs over how close we are to blackout

Resumen detallado

Bosses in charge of Britain's electricity grid are the subject of an investigation amid claims they have misled the markets, Parliament and wasted millions in pursuit of Net Zero targets.

Published: 23:44 GMT, 14 November 2026 | Updated: 13:52 GMT, 15 November 2026

Britain's creaking electricity grid is the subject of an independent investigation amid claims they have misled Parliament and the markets, and wasted millions of pounds in pursuit of Ed Miliband's Net Zero targets.

The inquiry, conducted by the Deloitte consultancy, centres around 'procurement policies and procedures', but a whistleblower has told The Mail on Sunday that it also addresses explosive allegations that the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has tried to cover up the struggle to keep the country's lights on amid the chaotic rollout of renewable energy supplies such as wind power.

Concern is mounting about the security of the grid, with whistleblowers and independent experts warning of a risk of blackouts this winter thanks to Labour's dash to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power – spearheaded by Mr Miliband when he was Energy Secretary.

Last night NESO admitted that Deloitte had been brought in to review 'procurement policies and procedures' at the state-owned operator. It denied that it was looking into a possible cover-up, or the behavior of staff.

It is unclear what this means for the role of NESO's £1million-a-year chief executive Fintan Slye, but one senior source told The Mail on Sunday that Mr Slye is 'hanging on by a thread'.

Insiders at NESO – which ensures the network has sufficient power at all times – say switching from old-fashioned power stations to thousands of new wind farms, solar panels and battery storage units has left engineers 'flying blind' and unable to make accurate forecasts of supply and demand.

They also say NESO executives have been handed a 42-page dossier by a former staff member alleging a series of key failings.

The problems burst into the open on June 23 when, in the middle of the heatwave, the grid ran dangerously short of power and required emergency imports of electricity from abroad.

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