Experts split over blackout

Experts are divided over the best way to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s blackout, which left citizens across five EU member states without electricity.

An EU energy review on 10 January will set out plans to improve the stability of electricity supplies, but suggestions are already beginning to emerge.

The Commission on Monday (6 November) said the blackout - caused by a power cut in Germany - proved the need for tough EU level action to improve energy transfers between member states. This would include legislative standards for EU network connections and an EU energy regulator, according to Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

Una Shortall of the European Regulator’s Group for Electricity and Gas said both national and European action were needed.

Analyst Malcolm Keay of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies research centre said: "Saturday’s blackouts were not really a problem with high-level politics. It was about member states not responding fast enough and needing to set up better systems to communicate."

Experts are divided over the best way to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s blackout, which left citizens across five EU member states without electricity.