Eclipse sparks record power surge

The UK's biggest surge happened in just a few minutes

A record-breaking power surge hit the National Grid as life returned to normal after the solar eclipse.

Even England's 1990 football World Cup shoot-out with Germany was put in the shade by a massive 3,000 megawatt rush.

This was the equivalent of meeting the demands of an additional four million people, or five million cups of tea, said National Grid.

Demand for electricity plummeted between 11am and 11.30am as the country downed tools to watch the sky show.

But as hoardes returned to work, logging back on to computers or factory machines, the combined effect was the UK's biggest increase in demand.

A National Grid spokeswoman said: "This was the largest increase in demand we have experienced on our system, and it occurred in a matter of minutes.

"At 10.30am, as interest in the eclipse picked up, demand was 35,500 megawatts.

"By 11am this had dropped by 500 megawatts and at 11.15am demand was at its lowest point at 33,150 megawatts.

"As the sun reappeared and people returned to their homes, offices and factories, electricity demand swiftly increased and within minutes reached 36,150 megawatts - a rise of 3,000 megawatts.

"About 1,000 megawatts of the increase was in relation to television pick-up - the audience switching on kettles for a cup of tea as life returned to normal."

Beckham off, but the kettles came on

The eclipse now tops the all-time list of power surges on the UK's network.

Other notable power rushes include the Prince of Wales's wedding to Princess Diana in 1981, the soap wars between EastEnders and Coronation Street and David Beckham's sending-off in England's World Cup game against Argentina last year.

Much of the nation broke its daily routine to watch the skies.

Trials at the Old Bailey in London were even adjourned to allow jurors and lawyers, though not defendants, to watch the eclipse.