In the worst-case scenario, all sectors, including food, water, transportation, communications, and energy, would be affected for up to one week, according to a report.
The government is evaluating contingency measures for energy outages that might last up to seven days.
In recent days, government departments and councils around the nation have participated in a series of drills.
In 2021, Programme Yarrow was created to increase preparedness and resiliency in the case of a significant technical malfunction on the National Grid, such as flood damage, a lightning strike on a substation, or an attack by a hostile state on sub-sea power cables.
The worst-case scenario for the program is that all sectors, including transportation, food, water supply, communications, and electricity, are affected for one week.
60% of the electrical demand would be supplied between days two and seven, when households and businesses would have “intermittent access” to ration supplies, according to the report.
In this scenario, only analog FM radios would function, and BBC Radio 2 and 4 would presumably be the only stations airing.
The newspaper reported that an agreement between energy regulator Ofgem and National Grid stipulates that 100% of electricity consumption should be restored within a week, and the government expects this goal to be accomplished even in the worst-case scenario.
The initiative is geared toward a more dire situation than that foreseen by National Grid last month, which warned of three-hour rolling blackouts this winter in the worst-case scenario.
A source revealed to The Guardian: “The administration does not want Yarrow to receive any publicity because they do not want it associated with Ukraine, energy supplies, or the expense of living.
“However, we must consider how we may assist others in advance.
The fact that they are discussing it now indicates a genuine concern that it could occur.
The government told that: “As a responsible government, it is appropriate that we prepare for all possible eventualities and collaborate with the private sector to develop and test comprehensive contingency plans.
“This effort is ongoing and is a vital component of our national strategy for resilience.
Local and national drills are an integral element of our continuing work and ensure that we can effectively respond to a wide variety of improbable events.
The program predates the conflict in Ukraine, but Russian threats to cut off Europe’s energy supply have increased worry.
