THOUSANDS of households with heat pumps are at risk of having their heating restricted in the winter as the push to net zero increases the chance of blackouts.
By the end of next year energy suppliers could have the power to remotely turn down central heating that uses heat pumps to help cope with demand on Britain’s energy system, according to The Telegraph.
It is understood that suppliers will be given the instructions by the organisation that coordinates the grid, which is overseen by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Demand for energy can vary throughout the year but the grid is typically most under pressure during winter cold snaps.
But as Britain is pushed towards net zero it is becoming more dependent on renewable energy sources to power the national grid.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are less reliable, so there are concerns that they won’t be able to produce enough power to meet demand at peak times.
As part of the proposed Smart Secure Electricity Systems scheme, energy suppliers including British Gas and Octopus Energy will be able to restrict the power supplied to heat pumps via the internet.
As a result, households could be left without enough heating on cold days or the ability to turn up their air conditioning during a heatwave.
Around 1.4% of properties in England have a heat pump, according to the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics.
There were 25.8 million dwellings in England in May 2026, which would mean around 361,200 have a heat pump.
But Ed Miliband wants to install 450,000 heat pumps a year by 2030.
As part of the Smart Secure Electricity Systems programme the government wants all heat pumps to have the ability to connect to the internet.
The plans are currently under consultation but if they are approved energy suppliers “will be able to remotely control significant amounts of electrical load through EV charge points, heat pumps”.
DESNZ said the plans will help balance the grid at peak times, reducing the risk of blackouts.
It added that heat pump households will need to agree to join the scheme and will be given discounted tariffs in return.
The plans have not yet made clear how the heat pumps will be protected from hackers once they are connected to the internet.
A DESNZ spokesperson said: “This is scaremongering. Any flexible energy use is entirely voluntary.”
