Key information for customers on our network

Preparing for a power cut

If you or a relative are reliant on necessary medical or other electrical equipment, please read this advice on what to do during a power cut, and make sure you’ve signed up to our Priority Services Register.

• Remember never to put yourself in danger and to alert the emergency services if a dangerous situation arises.
• Keep warm – keep a blanket and warm clothing handy and fill a vacuum flask or hot water bottle.
• Stock your cupboard with food and drink that doesn’t require electricity to prepare it.
• Keep your mobile phone and laptop fully charged.
• Have a torch, with spare batteries, to hand.
• If you need to use candles then please be careful. An open flame should always be used responsibly.
• Keep an old-fashioned corded phone which you can plug in, as cordless phones may not work in the event of a power cut.
• Have blankets ready to place over your fridges and freezers; this will help to keep contents cold for many hours.
• Look out for elderly neighbours and ensure they are prepared for or safe in a possible power cut.

During a power outage

• Switch off all electrical appliances that shouldn’t be left unattended, in case the power comes back on. You should limit the use of your smart phone or laptop to preserve the life of the battery.
• Keep fridges and freezers closed. Putting a blanket over them will help contents stay cold for several hours.
• Leave a light on so you know when the power outage has been resolved.
• Check to see if your neighbours are okay.
• Wrap up warm.
• Remember never to put yourself in danger and to alert the emergency services if a dangerous situation arises.

Preparing for winter

While emergency power cuts are unlikely in winter, if they do happen, you may typically lose power for around three hours, once a day. However, depending on the severity of the scenario, power may be interrupted several times during the event.

• Not everyone in the country will experience a power cut. It may be around 5% of customers and will depend on the emergency.
• Not everyone will have a power cut at the same time. These will be spread out across the country to reduce disruption as much as possible.
• By sharing power cuts around the country, we can reduce how much power needs to be generated and return to normal faster.
• Please note that Priority Services Register customers will also lose power in an emergency power cut. As disconnections happen at the substation, it’s impossible to exclude individual domestic properties.

What can you do?

• Find your block letter (and rota, when needed) at powercut105.com or by looking at the top of your latest energy bill. Your block letter helps the network identify which part of the grid you’re connected to. Your rota refers to a planned power cut by the National Grid.
• Remember, as well as your lights and power going out, your gas boiler, heat pump, broadband and home phone will not work without electricity. Mobile phone services will also be extremely limited and might drop out entirely.
• It’s likely you and your neighbours will be without power together, but this won’t always be the case. Sometimes, the way that houses on your street are connected to your local power network may mean you are without power at a different time to those living nearby.
• 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.

To apply for a utility connection on our gas or electricity networks, request a new connection, send us your details and we’ll be in touch with the information we need to give you a quote.