MILLIONS of households could reportedly be hit with power cuts at short notice under new grid rules.

The National Energy System Operator (Neso) will now be able to call for rotating blackouts much more easily and quickly if power supplies are running low, according to The Guardian.

The system operator had raised the alarm twice over electricity supplies in the last week of June because of the heatwave.

The new rules were rolled out quietly by Neso and come into effect this week.