Emergency power cuts

Emergency power cuts mean switching power off to at least 5% of UK households at once. They can take place without warning, if National Grid ESO instructs local networks to reduce power demand in the local area.
However, where possible, National Grid ESO plans to implement a national timetable of power cuts to fairly share power across the country.

The electricity system in Great Britain is sectioned into blocks that can be temporarily switched on and off, typically for three-hour periods, until a shortage is resolved, and the network can safely go back to normal.

Each electricity meter is assigned a ‘block letter’. In the event of an emergency power cut, different block letters are timetabled to be without power for around three hours once or twice a day.

If there isn’t enough electricity to power every home and business in Britain at the same time, the Electricity System Operator (otherwise known as National Grid ESO) – which is responsible for ensuring there is enough power to meet demand – could instruct regional network operators, including Electricity North West to reduce demand on the network through emergency power cuts.

Emergency power cuts are only implemented to protect the electricity network from more damage, which would be more disruptive to customers for a much longer period.

• If National Grid decided emergency planned power cuts were needed, then Electricity North West and other network operators would have to follow any instructions. 
• It’s likely that we and the public would be given a number of days’ notice although this could be implemented sooner if needed. 
• Emergency planned power cuts would involve rolling three-hour power cuts across the country for individual areas, perhaps once a day in the early evening. It would not involve the whole country going off at once. 

• ‘Normal’ power cuts can by for one of two reasons: 
• An unexpected issue with the network which can be caused by falling branches or trees, vandalism, bird strikes or other damage to overhead lines or underground cables. 
• A normal planned power cut which we carry out in multiple areas every day to enable us to work safely on the network. Typically these only affect a handful of properties at a time and we’ll give you a week’s notice that it’s happening.
• Our region has one of the best reliability records for minimising normal power cuts. On a normal day across the North West we’d typically see power cuts affecting fewer than 2,000 of the 2.4m properties we serve. 
• Emergency planned power cuts would affect much larger areas than usual power cuts. A 'normal’ power cut might typically affect a few hundred properties in a local area, with many restored in a matter of minutes. A planned emergency power cut would affect at least 100,000 properties in the North West at once, although these will be spread across the region, with around 10,000 properties in a particular area affected at the same time. This might affect your contingency plans if you had planned to go to another location. 
• As with a normal power cut, everything in the area will be affected, only in a wider area. This includes streetlights, traffic lights, shops, petrol stations and public buildings (with only a very specific list of critical infrastructure, including some key hospitals being exempt in linke with Government rules). As these planned power cuts are most likely to happen in the evening in winter, it is likely to be dark and difficult to drive. You should consider whether your emergency plans are adequate to cope for three hours without power in this situation. 
• These power cuts will still happen – even during planned emergency power cuts. So, if you’re off longer than expected or at a time you don’t expect, check our live power cuts page at enwl.co.uk/powercuts to see if your fault is listed, if not, let us know.

Emergency power cuts are unlikely this winter. It’s important to know that before any emergency planned power cuts occur, National Grid ESO undertakes a ‘winter outlook’ every year which helps to inform the electricity industry and prepare for the winter ahead.

There are a number of additional factors to consider this year, but it is normal for a winter outlook to be published.
As part of this process, National Grid ESO takes several steps to protect customers. These include:
• Asking companies to generate more power to meet the demand.
• Asking heavy industrial users to limit how much power they use during certain hours.
• Reducing household power usage – this includes paying customers to change how and when they use appliances like washing machines and dishwashers or reducing voltage across the country by a small percentage, which would be undetectable.

• Households and businesses can’t opt out or be specially treated for emergency planned power cuts.  
• There is an extremely exceptional ‘protected site list’ for critical infrastructure, (eg key hospitals, generators etc) with very strict qualifying criteria set out by the Government in section 5 of this document here.

In the first instance, you should speak to your medical provider to make a personal backup plan. Network operators cannot do this for you. If you are struggling, please speak to your GP.

• It is important that medically-dependent customers have a plan and speak to their healthcare provider or equipment manufacturer BEFORE a power cut to understand what they can do to reduce the impact. 
• Backup power supplies and associated equipment should be regularly checked and maintained by a competent person. If you're concerned, you should speak to your medical equipment or health care provider as soon as possible.
• If your stairlift has batteries as a back-up for example, make sure they’re charged. If it has a manual function, make sure you know how to use it.

For further information for care and assisted living providers, please visit https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/care-and-assisted-living-providers or download the advice here

No, emergency power cuts do not mean the whole country is without power at once.

The electricity network is designed in such a way that properties in the same street are often supplied by different electricity cables. In some cases, this means that the electricity cable that supplies your property may be switched off, but the cable that supplies your neighbour’s property is not.

It won’t be possible to call, text or email every customer in advance. However, the Electricity System Operator plans to hold a press conference and use social media to let people know a few days before emergency power cuts are needed. You should tune into national and local news and you will learn more about it through official social media channels.

• Power cuts can happen at any time, not just in winter or in emergency planned power cuts. We encourage customers to be prepared for power cuts at any time. 
• You can sign up to our extra care register if your circumstances mean that you would require additional support in a power cut at enwl.co.uk/extracare. Signing up to the extra care register does not give you protection in emergency planned power cuts or any other power cut but we can provide you with more help and information to get you through.
• See more of our helpful tips

Using a generator isn't always the simplest solution. In an emergency power cut, where different places will be without power at different times, there won’t be enough generators to keep everyone powered as more than one million homes – at least 5% of households in Great Britain - will be without power at once. It may also take longer for to install a generator and connect it to your local substation than the duration of the emergency power cut.

This is a personal decision and not something we can advise on. If you do choose to connect your own generation, this must be done by a qualified professional.

• Prepare. Leave one light switched on, so you know when power returns. Turn off all other appliances.
• Care. Check in with people who might need extra help
• Share. Share this information so friends and family can make a plan too

You can:

• Switch off all appliances, but leave one light switch on so you know when power returns.
• Bookmark powercut105.com on your mobile phone.
• Add emergency numbers to your contacts 105, the number to call to be connected to your local network company.
• Keep a torch handy in case you are without power during the night.
• Have warm clothes and blankets accessible in case you experience a prolonged power cut.
• Check in on your neighbours, friends and family to make sure they're okay.

Please note that mobile phone service will be extremely limited and might drop out entirely.

Click here for more information. 

Please note that mobile phone service will be extremely limited and might drop out entirely.
You can find more information at powercut105.com and by visiting energynetworks.org/be-winter-ready.

You may be concerned at this time about the food in your fridge and freezer. Food should keep for between 4-6 hours in the fridge and 15-24 hours in the freezer if you can avoid opening it.

A very limited number of sites are protected from emergency power cuts. These are typically locations which are deemed to be critical national infrastructure, such as air traffic control centres and major hospital facilities with accident and emergency departments.

Homes cannot become ‘protected sites’ as they are not critical national infrastructure.

Organisations which are not already aware of their protected status will need to apply to become ‘protected’ as this is not automatic. There is very strict qualifying criteria set out by the Government, and more information on this is provided via the Electricity Supply Emergency Code procedures.

Most hospitals have backup generators to ensure they can continue to operate in the event of power disruption.

For further information for care and assisted living providers, please visit https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/care-and-assisted-living-providers or download the advice here

Business continuity plans will vary across specific organisations and service providers. Power cuts can occur at any time so most will have plans in place. Whilst National Grid’s base case scenario does not expect any planned power disruption, it’s sensible to review any additional risks from three hours without electricity, as a precaution.

Businesses which are responsible for caring for customers in vulnerable circumstances are always encouraged to ensure they have robust business continuity plans in place, this may include investing in their own emergency back-up generator supply.

For further information for care and assisted living providers, please visit https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/care-and-assisted-living-providers or download the advice here

Power cuts can occur at any time, without notice.

In the event of an emergency power cut, it won’t be possible for us to give you advanced notice in the way we normally would for a planned outage. This is because we may receive as little as 30 minutes’ notice of an instruction for them to implement a power cut.

We are contacting customers on the Extra Care Register now, to ensure they have up-to-date information and to remind them about being prepared for the winter. 

In the first instance, you should speak to your medical provider to make a personal backup plan. Network operators cannot do this for you. If you are struggling, please speak to your GP.

In most cases, customers who are medically dependent on electricity will be familiar with the process and limitations of their equipment as power cuts can occur from time-to-time during a typical year, including during severe weather, for regular maintenance or due to damage and other routine faults.

These customers often have backup power sources to keep vital equipment powered for several hours during a power failure.

Customers who require a continuous supply of electricity for medical reasons and would need medical support during a power cut, should seek advice from their local health service provider.

Backup power supplies and associated equipment should be regularly checked and maintained by a competent person. If you're concerned, you should speak to your medical equipment or health care provider now.

If emergency power cuts are needed customers will be able to find their rota and what it means for them at powercut105.com by entering their postcode. The rota will only be published once emergency power cuts have been approved to take place.

For further information for care and assisted living providers, please visit https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/care-and-assisted-living-providers 

Stairlifts often have backup batteries. You should check how long your backup battery is expected to last. If you are unsure, you should speak to your manufacturer.

Emergency power cuts are expected to last around three hours, once or twice per day. A timetable will set out who will be without power and when. You should make sure you have access to a ground floor exit, telephone and heating for the duration of time you are scheduled to be without power.

We are are legally required to implement power cuts, when instructed by National Grid ESO. They are not allowed to protect customers from power cuts unless those customers have been classified as a ‘protected site’ under government and National Grid ESO rules.

No. Under Ofgem rules, compensation is not available for an emergency power cut of this nature.

You will only be charged for the amount of electricity you use.

Each electricity meter is assigned an alphabetical ‘block letter’. In the event of an emergency power cut, different block letters are timetabled to be without power for typically around three hours once or twice a day.

You can find your block letter by entering your postcode at powercut105.com. It should also be printed in the top half of your electricity bill. If you can’t find it, you should contact your local network operator by calling 105.

Before an emergency power cut starts, a timetable will be available at powercut105.com.

The timetable will tell you when you will definitely be without power, and when there is a risk, you may be without power. Your power might be switched off or reconnected around 30 minutes before or after the published time depending on national electricity use at that time.

If your power is not restored within an hour, please report your power cut.

Even if your rota block is not confirmed for disconnection you should be aware that, due to the large scale of emergency power cuts, there is a possibility that you may experience some short duration (< 3 min) effects. For example, dimming of lights or low power. Please only contact us if you continue to experience these issues more than an hour after the emergency power cut.

Power will normally be restored after the three hours, unless operational reasons prevent this.

We are unable to share the protected sites list as it relates to sensitive sites that are protected under the order of the government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). 

Mobile telephone transmitters and other communication infrastructures such as broadband connections are not protected and therefore may be interrupted.

Many residential and business customers will be interrupted by rota disconnection. It is important that each customers works through how they will cope with any such interruption. Normally those customers who have been subject to a rota cut will not suffer a second one for several days.

For further information for care and assisted living providers, please visit https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/care-and-assisted-living-providers or download the advice here

Yes, Electricity North West will have power during an emergency power cut. In the unlikely event that emergency power cuts do occur then hundreds of thousands of customers will be effected by each rota. It is therefore not practical to answer all customer calls with a person and ENW will provide information via its automated phone system, Web and social media channels.

Yes, via our website using our translation tool.

All information is written, so can be read online, but translation can be provided on request (through our partnership with Royal Association for the Deaf).