The lights won't go out if England wins the World Cup, says Ed Davey

UK may have to take 'last resort' measures to keep the lights on this winter The UK's spare energy capacity could decrease to two per cent next year World Cup win could see the highest ever energy surge

By Rachel Rickard Straus

Published: 08:48 EST, 10 June 2014 | Updated: 09:24 EST, 10 June 2014

Television sets and household lighting will not cut out if England wins the World Cup this summer, the energy secretary has assured the country, despite a predicted power surge as millions tune in to watch the match.

Ed Davey said he has been assured by National Grid that the UK can generate enough electricity to meet what would likely be the highest domestic energy surge ever if the England team made it to the final of the football World Cup in Brazil.

If England were to reach the World Cup Final - listen, just stay with me for a minute - if that were to happen, Grid's data suggests it's possible we could see the highest domestic electricity demand surge ever, he told the Economists UK Energy 2014 conference.

Blackout fears allayed: If England wins the World Cup again, National Grid is confidence we will all be able to watch it on the box without risk of a blackout

Now you've got the picture: can you imagine what would happen if, at a crunch moment, perhaps when England are beating Brazil three nil, and our brave boys trot off for half-time, there was a mass blackout?

The peak of all peaks, ever, arrives, and our electricity system falls over.

He added that he had spoken to National Grid about this: And I can report that National Grid have assured me that the UK has enough electricity generating capacity ready to meet any World Cup spike - through the group stages and beyond to history.

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The lights won't go out if England wins the World Cup, says Ed Davey