Tuesday's power cuts were due to an "antiquated energy system", according to environmentalists.
Robin Oakley, head of Greenpeace's climate and energy campaign, said: "Britain's antiquated centralised energy system relies on a few large power stations, such as our aging and increasingly unreliable nuclear power plants. When they fail the impact can be enormous. Sizewell B for example, the plant that failed on Tuesday, has the single greatest need for back-up on the national grid.
"Creaking, outdated nuclear plants, such as Sizewell, cannot deliver energy efficiently, reliably or cheaply.
"But there's a very simple answer. Using a decentralised energy system, and producing power closer to where it is needed, would meet our energy needs, tackle energy security and slash carbon emissions. More local power stations means that the system overall is much more robust if problems arise."
The huge loss of energy associated with the UK's centralised system occurs because large power stations discard heat, while more power is lost transporting the energy long distances through power lines. Decentralised power plants - also known as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants - supply heat to homes and businesses as well as electricity thereby doubling the efficiency with which they burn fuel.
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