The company is responding to calls by politicians for a national blackout helpline, made following last Christmas’s storms. It is understood to be the first DNO to establish a single number for all its customers to call in an emergency. The industry is currently in talks to establish a national single number, with autumn 2015 the earliest possible launch date.
Chief executive Robert Symons said: “Over time, politicians are keen to see one single three-digit emergency number established for the industry, and we want to move in that direction as quickly as possible.
“We haven’t experienced customers having problems getting through to us. Indeed, our average answering time, even during this February’s storms when we had upwards of 500,000 customers affected, ranged from 1.36 to three seconds.
“Answering the phone and making sure people aren’t sat in long queues has always been a priority for us, and we believe creating one emergency number for our four licences will make our systems even more effective.”
As part of its single number launch WPD is undertaking a publicity campaign with its customers, including fridge magnets and a advertising campaign on Heart Radio.
The new number also now appears on WPD’s vehicle fleet.