Why the grid feels more fragile
Britain's electricity networks are facing more "abnormal" weather than they were built for. Intense rainfall, prolonged heat and strong winds are all pushing underground cables and equipment harder, leading to a rise in faults.
What the data shows
Energy management firm VisNet has tracked a clear link between sustained wet weather and spikes in "pre-faults" – sudden current surges that signal insulation stress. Dr David Clements, Data Analytics Manager at EA Technology, VisNet's parent company, stated, "We know from conversations with electricity operators in continental Europe that in the days following extreme heat, networks can experience very significant spikes in pre-fault numbers." He added that UK data from the 2024/25 storm season shows sustained rainfall causes far bigger rises than single storms: "the data from the UK’s 2024/25 storm season clearly shows a one-off event like a storm causes a rise in pre-fault levels - but nowhere near to the same extent as sustained rainfall".
What this means for households
More pre-faults can mean more outages if networks aren't monitored closely. Ofgem already fines operators for poor reliability, so the pressure is on them to upgrade monitoring.
At the same time, households can help by using smart meters and home energy tools to shift usage away from peak times and reduce strain on the system.
How to protect yourself
- Check your energy comparison options to see if a better tariff could save you money while you monitor usage.
- Consider adding battery storage or solar if you're thinking longer-term resilience.
- Keep an eye on Met Office weather warnings so you can plan ahead during storms or heatwaves.
We’ll keep tracking how these weather trends affect supply and what it means for your bills.
