Shoppers looking to bag bargain in January sales risk being plunged into darkness if gas supplies run low this winter

SHOPPERS looking to bag a bargain in the January sales risk being plunged into darkness if gas supplies run perilously low this winter.

National Grid has warned that homes and businesses could see their power shut-off, for three hours at a time, due to the ongoing energy crisis.

If the winter is severely cold, blackouts would happen during the first month of the year, according to energy experts.

Adam Bell, former head of energy strategy at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, told the Sun on Sunday: “If we get a very, very cold spell in January then gas supplies would run down and in a worst case scenario we could have blackouts.

“It would be at peak demand times at around three hours, probably at around 4pm.

“You would get around 24 hours notice of this happening so you could make sure you’ve got enough candles.”

It would not just be homes affected by the power-cuts - shops and restaurants would be forced to close their doors too.

Bell said: “You could be doing some last minute shopping for deals in the January sales and then you’re told that all the lights are going to go out and the shops are closing early.

“The shops will lose business, you’re going to lose the opportunity to pick up bargains.

“Back home you won’t be able to logon to the websites to get deals either as your Wifi will be down.”

Liz Truss had been urged by senior Tory MPs to launch a public information campaign encouraging Brits to reduce their energy consumption.

A £15 million advice campaign was blocked by Downing Street over fears it could appear to be a “nanny state government”.