Coming up on this week's news, the trade is warned about the risk of network faults after an alleged cover up by grid chiefs. The government is set to give millions of free plug-in batteries to low-income homes. And a guttering firm is charged with corporate manslaughter over the electrocution of one of its workers. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Shelly, helping electricians offer smarter buildings and better energy management. and Shelly's range of smart relays, sensors, and control devices makes it easy to add automation without the cost and disruption of rewiring. Whether you're listening in the van, on site, or down at the wholesale counter, I'm Joe Robinson, and I've been through the best of the electrical industry news to save you the trouble. And if you think you've spotted the two words that I've been challenged to slip into this week's show, comment with it below for the chance to win this exclusive cap branded with Friends of the Show Quickwire and ChumpTools. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. On the show notes web page, you'll also find our bonus stories section covering a wide range of subjects. It's definitely worth a read and stay tuned to the end of the show to catch up on our regular features, including the weather from Joe 3PO, learner of the week, and the lighter side of the news. The electrical trade is being warned this week about the risk of network faults, frequency issues, and even a meltdown following an alleged cover up by grid chiefs. Shadow energy minister Claire Coutinho says she was approached by a whistleblower familiar with operations at the National Energy System operator control room in Wokingham Berkshire. That's the nerve centre of the UK grid. There engineers monitor the network and ensure that supply and demand is balanced. The whistleblower claims that grid chiefs ordered that there be no records of incidents that took place there on one day earlier this summer. On Tuesday the 23rd of June during a heat wave that needed a squeegee to get the sweat off. It's alleged that the UK national electricity network became unstable. It's said that the country became one fault away from a complete blackout. The frequency of the system is said to have even breached its limit of 49.8 hertz for numerous periods. Senior managers are said to have instructed operators in the control room to use a method of working that kept no records of how key decisions were made. It's further alleged that some actions which could have been taken to stabilise the grid weren't taken because it would have harmed the organisation's reputation. An independent inquiry into what exactly happened in the control room that day is now up and running. Back in April, a confidential report warned that the move to renewables is making it harder to match supply and demand in real time. Before the Green Revolution, there was a small number of coal, gas, and nuclear power stations. Today, the network is much more complex. There are lots of weather dependent solar arrays and offshore wind turbines, including thousands of small scale renewables and batteries. Additionally, there is a growing number of sub sea cables connecting us to the continent. The report says that these changes all mean that grid bosses have reduced visibility of what's supplying and taking power from the GB network. But some industry observers have questioned this, saying that all households with microgeneration capacity must report it to their local DNO. Even plug-in solar, due to be legalised later this month in the UK, must be reported via a G98 notification. For its part, the National Energy System operator admits that on the 23rd of June, there was sustained pressure and tight operating margins on the grid. A combination of low wind, unplanned outages of gas turbines, high demand, adverse interconnector flows, and network constraints created a complex challenge. However, it says that the frequency remained within statutory limits, the voltage stayed within limits, and no lines or cables were overloaded. The engineers in the control room managed it all in real time. At times it says the frequency moved outside the normal operating range, but it says it always remained within the statutory limits of 49.5 hertz to 50.5 hertz. Fears of instability have been heightened following the collapse of the Spanish and Portuguese grids in April 2025 that left over 50 million people across the Iberian Peninsula without power for up to 16 hours. No doubt stranded on stairlifts and all sorts. It was blamed on a series of unfortunate events which started in southern Spain and quickly overwhelmed the interconnected regional network. Meanwhile, electricians are being urged to prioritise the resilience and stability of their installations as the grid migrates to one dominated by renewables. To help keep your PV installations resilient and stable, have a look at the range of PV testers from Metrel. Whether you're testing your first domestic solar installation or commissioning an entire PV system, they've got a tester for the job. The range starts with the streamlined, easy to use MI3114 for essential photovoltaic checks. Then steps all the way up to advanced analysers capable of IV curve tracing, efficiency measurements, insulation testing, and radiance logging in the form of the MI 3116 with a neat option in the middle ground in the form of the MI 3115. So whether you need the essentials or the all singing, all dancing solution, there's a Metrel PV tester built around the way you work. In other news, the government is said to be about to give away millions of free plug-in batteries to low income homes. According to the IPAP, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will bulk buy the units, which normally retail at around £500. The batteries simply plug into a socket and store cheap energy overnight and release it during the day. They can save households up to 30% of their energy needs. It's all part of the government mission to cut the cost of living for struggling households. However, there's one small barrier to the government's plan. Plug-in battery units aren't currently legal in the UK. And mysteriously, the government didn't take the opportunity to include them in this month's legislation heralding plug-in solar, but Octopus chief Greg Jackson appears to know something. He says his firm plans to launch a plug-in battery pack in the UK next year. The Nook Cube, understood to be based on technology from Chinese brand Fox ESS, is expected to take the format mainstream. It's the size of a shoe box and has a capacity of 2 kwatt hours. And from the future to the present, right now you can fit the range of high-quality smoke alarms from Kidde. From battery powered to hardwire, there's an easy to install solution that suits your customers with the latest sensing technologies to detect potential fire hazards and comply with strict European standards. Our very own Joe Hammonds made a great video on the new range with one very surprising feature. You know where to find the link. In the courts this week, a guttering firm has been charged with corporate manslaughter over the electrocution of one its workers. Thirty-four-year-old Andrew Claridge, a gutter engineer, died in 2024 while working on a large house near Abingdon. It’s not yet clear how he came into contact with electricity. Cotswold Rainwater Services Limited, of Northfield Farm Lane, Witney, has now been charged with corporate manslaughter and failing to discharge its duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act. It follows a joint probe with the Health and Safety Executive.And now, a flurry of competitions to get involved with. First up, following on from our tease last week, we can now reveal that Sync Energy has unveiled a competition that's more than a little bit special. That's because the top prize, drum roll please, is a complete home energy management system. It includes the complete Sync Energy Flow all-in-one system. There's a hybrid inverter, three stackable 5.12 kWh battery modules, an EV charger, a solar power diverter, and circuit protection. It all works together as one intelligent system via a single intuitive app. The prize is worth a total of over £7,000. Entering is super easy. Simply fill in the entry form on Sync Energy's website. It's open until the end of August and you'll need to be MCS registered to be eligible to receive the prize. I've popped a link in the show notes. Still on competitions, I now have a very special task. That's to find the winners of Wiskas Brace Yourself promo. The contest was designed to celebrate the company's push fit brace system, which makes cable gland installation quicker and easier. The top prize is £1,000 worth of Wiska products and merch. Trust me, it will seriously elevate your van stock or workshop shelves. Anyway, our team of elves have been up all night putting the names of entrance on this here wheel of winners. And because there were so many entrance, the wheel has ended up looking like this. You can't actually see the individual names, which takes some of the tension out at the moment, but it's still jolly exciting. So, let's go. Round and round she goes. Where she stops, nobody knows. And the top prize winner is John Sayer. Huge congratulations to you, sir. Wiska will be in touch regarding your prize. There's also 20 runner up prizes of a brilliant Brace PP contractor kit. We'll spin the wheel offline and alert the winners as soon as humanly possible. And if any of you could do us a solid and post a picture of your hall online and tag both us and Wiska in that, that would be amazing. Now, while we're spinning, remember there's still time to enter. the BG's buy spin win promotion and still up for grabs are trips to New York and Las Vegas. You'll get £1,000 spending money, passes to local attractions as well as a helicopter tour. There's also lots of instant prizes such as BG and Knipex kit and discount vouchers. When you buy a selected BG consumer unit, you'll get a unique code which you enter online to try the spin-to-win wheel. This gets you the chance to win an instant prize as well as entry into one of three major prize draws. In July, one electrician won a trip to the October Fest in Munich. So, it could be you. The promo ends on the 31st of October. In product news, DeWalt has unveiled an 18VT XR impact driver that it says is its quietest yet. In fact, it's 42% more hushed than previous models. The DCF870 driver features a hydraulic oil filled mechanism to provide precise power with less vibration and increased durability. It delivers 56 Newton meters of torque in a compact 100 mm body, which matches the fastening performance of the 850 with significantly less noise. Other features include a three mode switch for enhanced control, a super bright 9 LED ring which delivers 82 lumens, and a drop and load bit holder for one-handed operation. It's part of DeWalt's famous 18VT XR ecosystem, so it's fully compatible with over 250 other tools and accessories. For the keenest prices on the XR range, we recommend CEF online. You know where to find the link. Meanwhile, Chauvin Arnoux has introduced the CA8345, a seriously classy power quality analyser. It's built to solve power quality problems fast. It measures voltage, current, power, and energy on single and three-phase systems. It also records harmonics, flicker, transients, and inrush currents, making it ideal for tracking down nuisance tripping and unexplained faults. The analyser meets IEC's 61,430 class A standards for accurate power quality measurements. There's a 7-in touchscreen, which keeps operation simple, while Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, and SD card connectivity make it easy to retrieve results. This could quickly become your favourite diagnostic tool. The brand has a full range of power quality analysers so you can choose one to suit your workload and budget. Schneider Electric has launched a compact RCBO which means you won't have to sacrifice space in the consumer unit. The three-phase breaker with overcurrent protection is a new addition to the ACTI9 range. The IC60H3 is designed to help your commercial and industrial customers protect against overloads, earth faults, and short circuits. It has a significantly reduced footprint and requires only three modules instead of the seven needed for the previous design. It's been designed to be compatible with power tag energy sensors so it can monitor energy use. The sensor data feeds into Schneider's Ecostructure energy hub and building management systems where it can give insights into energy use. It has solid neutral and voltage dependent technology ensuring reliable operation at all times. The new Kronos Pixel LED neon flex for Ultra LEDs gives installers a simple way to create eye-catching dynamic lighting effects. Unlike standard LED neon, each pixel can be individually addressed to produce chasing patterns, colour changes, and animated displays. The IP67 rated RGB flex is available in horizontal or vertical bend versions and runs on 24 volts DC. It boasts 12 pixels per meter, a high frequency to minimise flicker, and a tough silicone body. Installers can cut the flex every 83 mil, making it easier to tailor installations to exact lengths without wasting material. It's also compatible with popular pixel control protocols, opening the door to everything from simple colour chasing effects to fully programmed lighting displays. The Kronos Pixel LED neon flex is aimed at retail and commercial installs where professional look pixel lighting is essential. Now, how about this for another bright idea? It's the Paul Russell's lamp of the week. This week, we've got a nice chunky globe lamp. Look at that. This one has an Edison screw base, but this one's been given a twist with a Helix LED filament and tinted glass. It has a really cozy colour temperature of 1,800 Kelvin, and it's dimmable, so it's perfect for hospitality and retail projects. It gives out 250 lumens, and it has a rated lifetime of 15,000 hours. You can see the full range of lamps at paul russells.com. Now, it's that great moment where we get to celebrate the sterling work being done by the next generation. Our learner of the week slot is brought to you by XS Training with their online electrical courses for beginners and experienced sparks covering inspection and testing, solar, battery storage, EV charging, and their specialism NVQs and AM2 online prep. Our learner of the week this week is Ellis Mason from St. Helens College. Ellis really engaged with our recent eFIXX college connections road show visit. It motivated him to set up a LinkedIn profile and begin sharing his journey in the industry. Since then, Ellis has been highlighting his additional learning through eFIXX CPD certificates. It's great to see a learner taking initiative and using LinkedIn as a platform to showcase their development and commitment to the trade. Ellis is currently seeking an apprenticeship. If you think you can help with that, get in touch with any member of the eFIXX team. In the meantime, big congratulations Ellis for being this week's eFIXX learner of the week in association with XS Training. And if you're an employer looking to offer work experience or an electrical apprenticeship in other parts of the UK, we can help too. Just reach out and we'll do our best to connect you with motivated learners in your area. And now to the lighter side of the electrical news. Yes, it's time for a tea break with QuickWire and its range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. And this week, a reminder that even billionaires still need to pay their bills. An electrical contracting firm who worked on Donald Trump's luxury Washington hotel in 2016 claims it is still waiting to be paid over $2 million for the work. AS Electrical says it did the electrical install, including the fire alarms. The company said it had to work long hours to get the hotel open on schedule, including accelerating work before Trump's high-profile launch event. However, Trump's company disputed the claims. Now, it literally says in the script here, Trump impression. I think I must have upset script writer Ray this week, but here goes. The electricians did a tremendous job. The best job. Nobody installs cables better. Nobody. People say I don't pay bills. Fake news. I pay the biggest bills, the best bills, but only the fair bills. So, electricians, get your payment schedule in writing. It's very important. That's tremendous advice. Anyway, that's the lighter side of the news in our teabreak with Quickwire and their range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. Click the link in the description to check them out for yourself. Now, just before we get to your favourite bit of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners, we want to thank our premium partner. We couldn't make the news without you. The best thing to come out of Yorkshire since stainless steel, the home of EV Ultra and other groundbreaking quality products. It's Doncaster Cables. Click the links in the show notes to find out more about this great brand. If you think you know the words I've smuggled into this week's show, pop your guess into the comments. We'll take all the correct guesses and select one at random to be the winner of an eFIXX goodie bag prize. Answers submitted after midnight on the Wednesday after release will not be entered into the draw. Now, let's reveal the winners of last week's challenge word competition. Last week's words were Chihuahua and Scorchio. And the first person to come out of her electronic hat was user 01B3P, which I'm guessing is not your government name. So well done to you, user, I guess. Make sure you click the get involved link in the show notes to claim your prize. And now it's time for this week's weather from Joe 3PO and Fox ESS. I've come out the studio this week beneath the Pagola, which is absolutely loaded with grapes. It's looking surprisingly lush after all that sunshine. But with drought conditions and a prolonged dry weather affecting much of the country, is the dry spell finally about to break? Well, we'll come back to that. First, this week's Fox's premier partner is Mackie Electrical Services. Family run since 2000. They provide solar, battery storage, EV charging, and electrical services across central Scotland with their own team handling everything from survey through to after care. For this week's solar barometer, we're staying close to Mackie Electrical and heading to Roman Way in Dun Blaine. There's a collection of detached and semi- detached homes, plenty of sizeable pitch roof spaces, and some useful brighter spells arriving later this week. Local installers, it may be worth a closer look. Now, Tuesday brings a real north south split. Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of Northern England will be cooler with heavy showers and possibly some thunder. Further south, it feels fresher than Monday, but remain brighter with sunny spells and only scattered showers. as temperatures could reach 28° in London, the mid 20s across the Midlands and Wales and the low 20s the further north you go. Uh, Wednesday stays unsettled across the northern half of the UK with further rain and some gusty winds. The south holds onto a mixture of cloud and sunshine, although it'll be cooler everywhere. By Thursday, things calm down with much of the country becoming mostly fine and dry. Friday and Saturday should provide some strong, steady solar generation. Uh the weekend looks more changeable with rain or showers moving through, but plenty of dry, bright gaps as well. So, is the drought over? Well, not quite. The rain will certainly be welcome, especially in the north, but totals look too patchy to make a major difference everywhere. It appears these grapes may still need the watering can. Thanks for that update, Joe. Thanks for listening to this episode of Electrical News Weekly in association with Shelly, helping electricians offer smarter buildings and better energy management. Shel's range of smart relays, sensors, and control devices makes it easy to add automation without the cost and disruption of rewiring. Thanks for listening and until next time, have a great week. Stay safe out there and remember there's no such thing as a torque calibrated arm.