NEWS: A record heatwave (and an alleged cover-up) recently hit Great Britain’s grid.

The mismatch: Amid late June’s brutal temperatures, NESO (Great Britain’s independent grid operator) said frequency and voltage remained within statutory limits. But the evidence shows otherwise: Frequency dipped below operational limits multiple times as unplanned outages struck gas plants. 

The allegations: Whistleblowers claim that senior leaders were “risking blackouts to protect [NESO’s] reputation.” The whistleblowers allege that NESO operators were directed to “hide information that the grid was not secure at all times." NESO Chief Executive Fintan Slye has denied the claims—and the grid operator is bringing in an independent law firm to investigate them.