Power cuts

Power outages can occur for all sorts of reasons e.g. carrying out emergency maintenance on the power network.
The UK Power Networks say they aim to give at least 48 hours of notice of a power outage if they need to. However, they may not be able to give notice if it’s an emergency situation.

Whilst they can be frustrating, we wanted to give you a few tips that can help you prepare for one.

Unfortunately, if the power outage is affecting your whole neighbourhood then there’s nothing we can do. It will be down to the electricity company to fix it.

The boiler

It’s important to know that even if your boiler is gas powered, it won’t work in the event of a power cut.
The boiler needs power to operate – this means you won’t get heating or hot water.
When your power comes back on, you may need to reset the boiler programmer/timer.

Steps you can take to prepare for a power cut

• If your power is due to be out for most of the day, you could arrange to visit a family or friend that’s not being affected.
• Keep a torch with spare batteries handy. We don’t recommend using candles as they can be a potential fire risk. You could even buy a smart light bulb with a built in battery – they can provide light for around 4 hours in the event of a power cut.
• When the power goes out, switch off your appliances and lights, but leave one light on so you know when power has been restored.
• It’s especially important to keep warm if the weather is cold. Dress warmly in several layers and have a hat, gloves and a blanket to hand.
• If you use cordless phones they won’t work in a power cut, so make sure you have one plugged in in the event of a power cut. If you use a mobile phone then we recommend keeping a portable charger/power bank fully charged and ready to use.
• If your mobile phone is running low, there are a few things you can do to make the battery last longer:
  • Use a power saving mode if you have it.
  • Make sure to close any apps running in the background.
  • Turn down screen brightness.
  • Switch it off until you need it.
• Power cuts will also affect things like stair lifts, bath hoists and adjustable beds. Some essential medical equipment has a battery back-up. This means you can keep using it for a little while, even if the power is out. If you have a stair lift, check it has a manual release handle, you can use this to return the lift to the ground floor if you have a power cut.
• Set your fridge freezer to the coldest setting 12 hours before the planned power cut to ensure it remains cold during the power cut. Don’t open the freezer door unless you have to, this helps food stay frozen for longer. Food should keep for between 4-6 hours in the fridge and 15-24 hours in the freezer if you can avoid opening it.
• Keep UK Power Networks phone numbers handy. You can reach them on 105 or 0800 31 63 105. Customers who need extra support during a power cut can also register for the Priority Services Register.