Iranian hackers 'shut down British power plant for four days' in unprecedented cyber attack

Published: 01:59 BST, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 12:15 BST, 23 August 2026

Iranian hackers shut down a UK power plant for four days in an unprecedented cyber attack on Britain, it has been revealed.

Cyber terrorists forced the facility to be completely closed down while staff battled to bring systems back online.

Officials have not revealed which power plant was targeted, but it is understood to be relatively small – and the attack did not have any significant impact on the nation's energy supplies.

The Government briefed chief executives of power companies about the incident and provided advice and direction. 

Officials from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a public-facing branch of GCHQ, were also informed and are investigating the breach.

The attack was the first and most effective of its kind, but the Government insists 'at no point' was there a wider risk to Britain's energy system, The Telegraph reported.

However, the incident is a chilling indication of the potential harm wrought by successful cyber attacks on Britain's infrastructure, experts warned.

It is said to have occurred at the same time US infrastructure was hit by a string of cyber attacks across more than a dozen states last month.

Cyber terrorists forced a power station to be completely closed down while staff battled to bring systems back online. It is a chilling indication of the potential harm wrought by successful cyber attacks on Britain's infrastructure

In late July, US intelligence officials believe Iranian regime hackers hit a water utility in western Arkansas as part of the wider campaign, according to the Washington Post.

Suspected Iran-linked cyber attacks have also struck water systems in a dozen states, including Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, New Jersey and South Dakota, sources told CBS News, with more than 30 community systems breached in Minnesota alone.

Hackers forced Georgia authorities in the Atlanta area to issue a boil water advisory after their intrusion caused a sudden drop in water pressure.

In several cases, the hackers gained remote access to pumps, valves and pressure settings, and forced utilities to switch to manual mode, but officials say the attacks had no impact on drinking water.

Both US and UK intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned of the risk from foreign adversaries, including not only Iran but Russia, China and North Korea. 

Source: Read the original article on www.dailymail.com