Power cut helpline planned in wake of Christmas storms

Government is planning to introduce a single emergency number for those affected by power cuts, energy secretary Ed Davey announced on Wednesday.

Some people who lost supply following the Christmas storms did not know how to contact their local network and did not know when they would be reconnected, Davey said.

Following a meeting with bosses of the distribution network operators, Davey ordered a review to focus on customer communications and report back within two months.

Davey said: “I fully understand the frustration felt by people whose Christmases were spoiled because of power disruptions, but I also want to pay tribute to the hard work of the engineers who battled appalling weather conditions to try to reconnect homes as quickly as possible.

“Clearly, communications with customers must be at the heart of this review as in some cases households were not kept informed of what was being done to help them or when they were likely to be reconnected. In particular, people need to know how to contact the network operator in their region if there is a power cut, and we’re looking to introduce a single emergency number which people can call irrespective of where they live.”

Network bosses agreed to contact customers who may be entitled to compensation. UK Power Networks and Southern Electric Power Distribution had already promised to pay out £75, more than regulations require, to any customer suffering a power cut on Christmas Day.

The review will also look at whether the networks have sufficient resources and contingency arrangements for extreme weather. Basil Scarsella, chief executive of UKPN, told the Mail on Sunday after the event his company’s response was hampered by many staff being on leave. “We could and should have done more,” he said.

Davey said: “It’s virtually unprecedented for storms to affect such a huge area of the UK for so long, and this prevented network operators helping their colleagues in other regions as would normally happen. So the review will also look at the contingency plans and levels of resources required so that operators can be prepared for the worst should an event like this ever happen again.”

Chief executives of six distribution networks and industry body the Energy Networks Association were joined at the meeting by Chris Train, chair of the Energy Emergencies Executive Committee, and Andrew Wright, acting chief executive at Ofgem.

ENA chief executive David Smith said: “The networks constantly review the resilience of infrastructure and there are robust plans in place to deal with the damage caused by extreme weather. There is always a thorough assessment after situations such as the one seen over Christmas to look at improving the service to customers.

“As part of a the government’s review into the impact of the storm the networks will be providing information about preparedness, the challenges faced and what lessons can be learnt.”