Lights Out

This weekend, in amongst all the other horrors, I found myself having to buy a set of C sized batteries. I really don't like these: other than D size, the C's are the least useful of all the batteries, so I try to avoid anything that needs them.

Worse, though, in this instance the batteries are for something that doesn't need them. More accurately, they're for something that runs on mains power, and for which we do indeed use mains power exclusively, on the rare occasions we use it at all: a portable radio.

But the reason we bought the batteries is that we seem to be heading towards a winter of power cuts. Initially, these were just distant rumblings, nothing to worry about. Then, as the weeks progressed, they gradually shifted the mood. And a couple of weeks ago there were reports that the BBC were preparing emergency scripts for multi-day blackouts (potentially 48 hours), with broadcasts to be made on Radio 2 and Radio 4 to keep people informed - hence the need for batteries.

That was the point at which I started to get worried. Because if they're preparing such things that suggests that the "unlikely" 3-hour blackouts (4-7 pm on some weeknights) almost certainly are going to happen, and it would be wise to prepare for the worst. Though there's only so much you can do to prepare for not being able to power anything and not being able to heat anything. I guess we're going to have to learn to enjoy nocturnal winter BBQs.

Unfortunately, I think I have to recommend others do the same: better to prepare now, before the inevitable rush.