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Great Britain is preparing its population for massive power outages / BBC is developing a plan for broadcasts without the internet

Raluca Ioana Draghici

8 November 2026, 08:23

International

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Britain is preparing the public for a possible major power outage that could disrupt water supplies, internet access, mobile phone services and transport for several days. Authorities are advising citizens to keep supplies of water, food and essential items for at least 72 hours as part of the “Be Ready” campaign.

The BBC has drawn up an emergency plan to maintain broadcasts if the internet and television stop working. Around 100 staff members would work in a radio studio equipped with independent internet systems, fuel, water and food reserves. Information would be broadcast via FM using diesel-powered generators, while journalists in the regions would communicate by satellite.

Radio stations would broadcast news and government messages containing practical instructions for the public. The experience of the floods in Lancaster in December 2015 showed that FM radio remained one of the safest sources of information.

Energy operator NESO estimates that a major outage could be repaired within two to three days. At the same time, Britain is providing £70 million in funding to develop aerial platforms capable of ensuring backup communications for at least one week. Preparations intensified after the power outage in April 2025 that affected Spain, Portugal and southwestern France.

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Context: warnings about risks to infrastructure have increased in the UK—from cyberattacks to wildfires

As preparations were being made for a possible power outage, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham asked residents to prepare for emergencies and disruptions to essential services, amid extreme weather events and cyber risks. The government launched the national “Be Ready” campaign, with recommendations for supplies and basic equipment to last at least three days without electricity, water, and telecommunications.

Along the same lines, British authorities also reported a cyber incident: a small power plant was shut down for four days following an attack attributed to hackers affiliated with the Iranian regime, with no impact on the overall power supply. The incident coincided with attacks on water infrastructure in the US.

At the same time, the United Kingdom issued an emergency alert over the spread of wildfires in several regions, after more than 1,000 fires had been reported since the beginning of the year, while authorities mobilized military personnel and called for a reduction in the risk of accidental ignition.