Blackout-firms avoid prosecution

Electricity firms will not be prosecuted for the power cuts that hit south London and Kent on 28 August and the West Midlands on 5 September.

The energy minister, Stephen Timms, said findings from an investigation will be passed on to the electricity companies concerned ?so that they can take the necessary action to enhance the robustness of their networks, and so make such occurrences less likely?.

The investigation, carried out by DTI