Weather forecasts predict strong winds in excess of 70 miles per hour and heavy rain across the South West of England and South and West Wales in the early hours of Friday. Whilst the electricity network is built to withstand challenging conditions, extreme weather can sometimes bring down power lines and cause power cuts, as can damage from falling debris and trees. We are monitoring the weather and our network closely, with engineers ready to respond quickly and safely and restore supplies if there are any disruptions.
Storm Austen – update from National Grid Electricity Distribution
The parish council has received the following advice below regarding storm Austen and for storms in general
The National Grid has prepared a checklist and makes the following suggestions that that customers:
- Keep the National Grid details handy – you can go online or call 105 to report a power cut, 24 hours a day.
- Prepare your home – have a torch and a fully charged mobile phone ready, and keep an external battery pack available to recharge devices. A solar or battery-powered radio will help you stay updated. Protect sensitive equipment with a surge protector and keep non-perishable food on hand.
- Check on others – monitor weather forecasts and check if neighbours need help, especially those who are vulnerable.
- Get extra support – sign up for the Priority Services Register, a free service providing tailored support to vulnerable customers.
- Sign up for severe weather updates, and check on outages in your area via our power cut map: National Grid – Power Cut Map
As mentioned above, please encourage vulnerable customers to sign up for our Priority Services Register if they haven’t already. It is a free service for anyone who is elderly, disabled, has children under five, or relies on powered medical equipment. Customers registered will receive updates and, if needed, support from the British Red Cross and our charity partners.
Please be assured that our engineers are ready to respond to any damage caused by Storm Austen. The National Grid control room will be operating 24/7 to manage electricity supplies, and our customer contact centre is also available around the clock to support customers.
If you experience a power cut or spot anything dangerous which may affect the electricity network, please contact the National Grid using the methods below. While the phone lines are expected to be busier than normal, there are numerous ways for people to contact the National Grid and access information:
- To report power cuts or find information about any outages in an area, please go to our website.
- Phone: 105 or 0800 6783 105
- Twitter: @gridcustomersuk
- Webchat: www.nationalgrid.co.uk
The National Grid will be monitoring and providing further updates as the situation develops.