Be warned: Britain may experience blackouts between 4 pm-7pm on ‘really cold weekdays’

London - John Pettigrew, the head of Britain's electricity and gas systems operator the National Grid, has issued a stark warning to the country.

SkyNews reported that on Monday, at the Financial Times's Energy Transition Summit, Pettigrew said the country could face these imposed blackouts if gas imports were reduced.

He warned Britons that they could expect this on "really, really cold weekdays".

Earlier this month, Britain's climate minister Graham Stuart said that the UK government was not asking people to use less energy, a day after the National Grid warned that the country could face three-hour, planned power cuts to homes and businesses this winter.

"We plan for all eventualities and the public should be confident that we have a very strong and diverse supply, and that we've taken all the steps to look after our needs for this winter," he told Sky News then.

When asked if people should be using less energy, Stuart said: "We are not sending that out as a message."

• UK government not asking people to use less energy, minister says