Director of Customer Service and Innovation Ian Cameron said: “We are sharing advice now, in the full hope that this will never be needed by our customers. Our teams work round the clock to answer customer calls and provide online updates on our website and social media.”

UK Power Networks maintain the electricity networks across London, the South East and East of England. The company is encouraging people to be prepared with a personal power cut plan this winter.

It considers that local electricity networks are 99% reliable, and National Grid ESO (Electricity System Operator) expects that there will be adequate electricity supplies across the UK this winter.

Furthermore, the energy industry has well-established procedures in place if there is ever a national energy shortage, which could be used as a last resort once National Grid ESO has exhausted all other measures.

But readers should bear in mind that power cuts can happen for all kinds of reasons. A number of St Leonards residents lost power over the summer when their local substation overheated and caught fire. As new technology necessitates that higher and higher demands are placed on our sometimes ageing power supplies, it’s wise to have some basic preparations in place.

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Purely as a precaution, UK Power Networks wants to reach the most vulnerable consumers with support and advice, and urging them to make a personal plan so that they know what do in a power cut.

Here are some important precautions you can take:

Prepare

  • Find your ‘block’ letter (and rota, when published) at www.powercut105.com
  • Save 105, the free national power cut emergency number, to your phone
  • Know that power cut updates are available at www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk
  • Keep a mobile phone fully charged so you can use it to go online for updates or call if you have a power cut. Remember that your gas boiler, heat pump, broadband and cordless home phone will not work without electricity
  • Keep a torch handy in case you are without power during the night
  • Have warm clothes, blankets and food which doesn’t need heating accessible
  • If you rely on electricity to power medical equipment and don’t know what would happen to your equipment in a power cut, you should speak to your healthcare provider now. UK Power Networks cannot provide individual generators in the event of a national power emergency. Make sure you know how long your backup supply will work for, and test your back up plan.

Care

  • Check on neighbours, family, and friends to make sure they have a plan if they have a power cut
  • Check whether you or someone you know can get extra help during bad weather through the Priority Services Register. It’s a free service to help people who have additional needs. You can sign up here Priority Services | UK Power Networks

Share

  • Share this information so friends and family can plan too.


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HIPCommunityelectricity,national grid eso,power cuts,power disruption,UK Power Networks,winter readyDirector of Customer Service and Innovation Ian Cameron said: “We are sharing advice now, in the full hope that this will never be needed by our customers. Our teams work round the clock to answer customer calls and provide online updates on our website and social media.' UK Power Networks...The Hastings & St Leonards non-profit community newspaper