National Grid urges customers to prepare for Storm Isha

As Storm Isha approaches the South West, National Grid Electricity Distribution is advising its 1.6 million customers in the region to be ready for potential power cuts due to anticipated strong winds and heavy rain on Sunday.

The National Grid operates the electricity transmission network in England and Wales and serves as the distribution network operator for the Midlands, South West England, and South Wales. The company is committed to annual investments of around £1 billion in its distribution network, responsible for delivering electricity to eight million customers.

To assist customers in preparing for the storm, National Grid has issued a power cut checklist, and has explained key steps to take in case of disruptions.

Jocelyn McConnachie, Director of Customer Excellence, highlighted the importance of customer readiness: “Our engineers are ready to repair any damage that Storm Isha causes, while our control centre will be working 24/7 to manage supplies, and our contact centre staff will be available round the clock to answer customers’ calls.”

The power cut checklist includes the following recommendations:

1. Emergency Number - Keep the free electricity emergency number handy – call 105 to report a power cut, 24 hours a day.

2. Home Preparation - Have essential items ready, including a torch, mobile phone, and an analogue landline phone (cordless or digital phones may not work in a power cut). Ensure the availability of an external battery charging pack for smart devices. A wind-up, solar, or battery-powered radio is advised for listening to local updates. Protect sensitive equipment with a surge protector.

3. Weather Monitoring - Keep an eye on weather forecasts, and in case of a power cut, check if neighbours need assistance.

4. Extra Support - Vulnerable households can sign up for National Grid’s Priority Services Register, a free service for the elderly, disabled, households with children under 5, or those reliant on powered medical equipment. The service ensures customers receive timely information about power cuts affecting their home and provides special assistance, if needed, through the British Red Cross.

Jocelyn McConnachie reassured customers that the network is highly reliable and well-prepared for winter challenges.

She added, “Anyone who experiences a power cut should call us on 105, and we’ll do all we can to get the lights back on as soon as possible. We also encourage customers with extra needs to sign up to our free Priority Services Register for additional support during a power cut.”