Interesting how they never quote the actual generating capacity in the UK, or the growth in usage. They only quote what may be lost as a percentage of use. This assumes zero extra capacity in the system.
This is the problem; there is not that 'extra capacity' available due to a lack of power station building but dramatically increasing demand!

The media never quote any figures that are likely to detract from the shock! horror! impact of a headline.
However, it's obvious that the UK has been heading for trouble for years.
An infrastructure geared up for the consumption of cheap gas now reliant on imports of expensive gas from Europe and Russia. When the pinch comes, are they going to export to us or look after no. 1? And export at what price?
Coal fired capacity decomissioned rather than cleaned-up as a quick fix in the last round of Environmental CO
2 cutting nonsense.
Nuclear capacity on its' way out due to political procrastination. Yes, we can build some more, but we should have decided that 20 years ago.
Insufficient natural resources in this relatively small, relatively flat, relatively cloudy island for a significant contribution from renewables against targets from Brussels that don't take natural resources into account.
An increasingly market-driven private sector energy business in which profits take precedence over long and short term security of supply. Gone are the days when there was plenty of "spinning standby" on our grid. If a plant's steamed up it's got to be making money. If it fails and nothing's there to take up the load, the load is shed (= lights out).
Like everything else in this country, while we've been worrying about regime change, political correctness, inciting racial hatred, acts preparatory to terrorism etc. the grass has been growing merrily away under the things that really matter.

Kevin