Homes and businesses across parts of Merseyside and Edinburgh faced significant disruption as a series of power outages struck during the festive season, underscoring ongoing concerns about the resilience of the UK’s electricity infrastructure. The most recent incidents, which unfolded between December 30 and December 31, 2025, left residents in Tranmere, Wirral, and business owners in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket area grappling with darkness, cold, and financial loss at a time when many hoped to celebrate the holidays.
At approximately 5pm on December 30, emergency services were called to Summerford Close in Tranmere after reports of a sudden loss of power. According to Liverpool Echo, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) arrived at the scene within minutes, finding that a blown electricity grid had left several homes without power. Residents described hearing a “huge bang” before being forced to evacuate their homes and wait outside in the cold. Some were offered shelter at a local library, which was opened to accommodate those affected.
Scottish Power engineers from SP Energy Networks were quickly dispatched to the scene, but the complexity of the situation soon became clear. A 30-metre safety cordon was established and managed by Merseyside Police, while Old Chester Road was closed in both directions between Union Street and Southwick Road. The closure, although disruptive, was necessary to ensure public safety as engineers and a specialist dig team worked to identify and repair the fault.
In a statement, SP Energy Networks confirmed the cause: “An underground cable fault caused disruption to supply to a small number of customers. Our engineers worked to repair the fault and restore power safely and as quickly as possible. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank customers for their patience.” The affected postcodes included CH42 3TA, CH42 3TB, CH42 3TL, CH42 3UX, CH42 3YH, CH42 3YJ, CH42 3YL, CH42 3YQ, CH42 5ND, CH42 5NH, CH42 5NJ, and CH43 1AA. Power was eventually restored by 9:15pm, but not before some residents had spent hours in chilly uncertainty.
Multi-agency meetings took place at the scene, and the fire service handed over responsibility to police before leaving at 8:12pm. By the following morning, all roads had reopened and life began to return to normal for those affected. Yet, the incident left a mark, raising questions about the reliability of local infrastructure and the capacity of utility providers to respond swiftly to unexpected failures.
While the situation in Tranmere was challenging for residents, a parallel crisis was unfolding further north in Edinburgh. Businesses in the city’s historic Grassmarket district, a renowned hotspot for tourists and locals alike—especially during Hogmanay—found themselves battling what they described as “crippling” power outages throughout the festive period. According to The Scotsman, members of the Grassmarket Hospitality Operators (GHO) group reported substantial financial losses and reputational harm as repeated outages hit during peak trading hours.
The GHO group painted a stark picture: “Some hospitality venues also experience power outages multiple times a day during the festive season, putting Christmas trade in the dark. In one December weekend alone, Grassmarket businesses lost the whole of [a] Friday night’s service and the entire Saturday lunch service, meaning thousands of pounds in lost revenue across several hospitality venues. Meanwhile, business costs remain. Staff must still be paid in case power returns, food is wasted, and bookings are lost.”
These outages were not isolated events. On December 30, an underground cable fault on Kings Stables Road led to a blackout, while earlier in the month, a low-voltage cable joint failure near Kings Stables Road Lane caused further disruption. Temporary fixes via alternative feeds provided only brief respite, with multiple interruptions occurring during attempts to identify the underlying faults. The impact was especially severe as the city prepared for its world-famous Hogmanay celebrations, with businesses warning that Edinburgh’s reputation as the “ultimate Hogmanay destination” was at risk.
SP Energy Networks responded to the mounting frustration by deploying extra staff and offering apologies. “We’re experiencing intermittent issues with the power supply to the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh and would like to reassure all customers and businesses that we’re doing our utmost to resolve the issue as soon as possible ahead of Hogmanay celebrations starting later,” a spokesperson said. “Yesterday’s faults were the result of low voltage protection fuse operation due to an intermittent fault being detected, which saw customers off for an hour in the afternoon, approx. 3pm to 5pm, and again from 6pm to 8pm. We fully recognise the impact this will have caused at such a busy time of year, and we apologise for the inconvenience.”
Engineers went door to door to reassure customers, and SP Energy Networks promised to meet with affected groups in the new year to discuss investment plans. The company also highlighted its broader commitment to infrastructure improvement. In December 2025, it was announced that billions of pounds would be spent upgrading Scotland’s energy grid as part of a £28 billion UK-wide investment. Scottish Power’s SP Energy Networks business is set to invest an initial £2 billion, with plans to build 12 new major substations, upgrade 450 kilometres of circuits, reconductor 87 km of overhead lines, and replace 35 km of underground cable between 2026 and 2031.
Despite these assurances, the GHO group remains skeptical, insisting that “the recurring nature of these outages indicates systemic vulnerabilities that require urgent and permanent solutions. The current approach of reactive repairs is insufficient to safeguard businesses and customers in this critical hospitality district.” They have called for a detailed timeline for upgrades and the establishment of a dedicated liaison group to keep businesses informed.
Back in Tranmere, the swift restoration of power was welcomed, but the experience left residents and local authorities with a renewed awareness of the fragility of essential services. The convergence of these incidents—one affecting homes, the other threatening the livelihoods of business owners—serves as a reminder that behind every flickering light or silent till is a web of infrastructure that, when it fails, can upend lives in an instant.
As the UK heads into 2026, the pressure is on utility providers to deliver on promises of modernization and resilience. For now, both the residents of Tranmere and the businesses of Edinburgh are left hoping that the lights will stay on when they need them most.
