NESO prepares for World Cup demand surge

National electricity demand could increase by as much as 800MW during the upcoming World Cup games involving England and Scotland, according to forecasts.

The National Energy System Operator said engineers will be working around the clock to balance supply and demand.

Neso said England's opening match against Croatia would likely draw the biggest audience.

It said energy demand could be higher than the 600MW spike seen during England's 1966 World Cup win.

Neso said demand would be expected to increase even more the further England and Scotland go in the tournament, with the biggest games attracting the most viewers.

The current record was set during England's 1990 semi-final against West Germany, when a missed penalty in the shootout was followed by a 2.8GW surge - the equivalent to more than a million kettles being switched on at once.