We are told that tonight is going to be a bit stormy in view of the delightfully named Storm Abigail which is about to bring us 60-70mph gusts across Central Scotland, meaning an amber weather warning from the Met Office.
In the rare event that severe winter weather conditions have an impact on the power supplies of homes and businesses, SP Energy Networks, which owns and manages the network of cables and power lines for Edinburgh, has issued advice to help keep customers safe and informed.
To help prepare for winter, SP Energy Networks has invested over £80m in the last year to rebuild and refurbish overhead power lines, cut trees and other vegetation and protect substations from potential flooding. In total, the company manages approximately 11,000 km of underground cables and overhead power lines and 3,400 substations that connect over 410,000 homes and businesses in the Edinburgh and Scottish Borders district.
Strong winds, snowfall and flooding have all affected Edinburgh in recent years. Although SP Energy Networks is on-call 24/7 to respond to any incidents, the electricity distributor is also encouraging people to prepare similarly for the unlikely event of power loss.
Guy Jefferson is Director of Distribution at SP Energy Networks. It’s up to Guy and SP Energy Networks to ensure that people in Edinburgh are connected to their electricity supply. Guy gives his advice on what residents should do in the event of a power cut, as well as his top tips on preparing for an emergency power situation:
“We all rely on electricity, especially during the darker winter months. Although power cuts are rare events for most people, it makes sense to be prepared just in case.
“If there is a power outage, our team of engineers are on hand to fix faults and get the power supply back as soon as possible. Our customer service team also work around the clock to keep residents informed and provide advice.
“For vulnerable customers we have a Priority Services Register, which aims to offer additional assistance for people dependent on medical equipment, chronically sick, disabled or those requiring special needs.
“It only takes a few minutes to check that you have everything you need at home in the event of a power cut and the relevant numbers handy to report it so we can help. The quicker we are alerted to a power cut, the quicker we can respond.”
Guy’s top tips for being prepared in the event of a power outage are:
- Keep the SP Energy Networks number close to hand –it’s best to keep this on the fridge or saved beside other important numbers such as your doctor’s surgery. This way if you need to contact us you have the number there and we can help you as soon as possible.
- Keep your mobile charged– having your mobile charged means that you can give us a call on our helpline number. Alternatively, if you’re mobile is out of battery or signal, it’s worth having an analogue phone as this doesn’t run off the main electricity supply. (Also you can have a look at The Edinburgh Reporter online for any news…!)
- Keep a battery powered torch and radio– leave this somewhere you can access easily so that you can use the torch to check on the fuse box and make your way around the house safely. A battery powered radio can also help you to receive updates on the incident.
- Avoid leaving your fridge or freezer open— your fridge and freezer should remain cold for a considerable amount of time when power if off. However, it’s best to minimise the amount of times you open the door.
- Unplug powered equipment – make sure you unplug electrical appliances such as your TV and laptop. This also includes heaters, electric fires and cookers as you may forget about them when power is restored.
- Priority service register –if electricity is crucial to your health (for instance, if you use medical equipment at home) ask to be included on our priority service register. This way if you’re off power and need access to electricity as soon as possible, we can make sure you’re one of the first people that we see to.
For more information on what to do in the event of a power emergency, visit spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/power_cuts.asp.
In the event of a power cut call 0800 092 9290 to report the problem and receive help as soon possible.
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Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
