Complaint
This bulletin summarised reaction to the official review of the power outage which led to the loss of supply to 70,000 energy customers, including Heathrow airport. A listener complained that remarks made by a contributor, billed as an energy industry analyst, were inaccurate and should have been put into proper context. The ECU considered whether the item met the standards of accuracy set out in the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
Listeners were told the review had concluded the substation fire was caused by a preventable technical fault and that the watchdog, Ofgem, had subsequently launched an investigation into the National Grid. The contributor suggested Ofgem’s emphasis on improving connectivity for renewable energy sources had placed pressure on grid operators to prioritise those investments over maintenance of existing infrastructure. In the ECU’s view there was clear and persuasive evidence Ofgem had encouraged faster connection of clean energy and storage projects to the grid, and the contributor was entitled to offer her analysis of the potential consequences. Describing her as “an energy industry analyst” gave listeners the appropriate context to understand she was offering her professional judgement rather than an undisputed fact.
Not Upheld