Storm Arwen is forecast to bring heavy rain and up to 75mph winds to the UK this weekend. We've issued safety advice to help keep people safe in the event of a power cut.
Storm Arwen will be the UK’s first official storm of the winter season. The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for strong winds from Friday into Saturday, warning roads and bridges could close with potential for power cuts and mobile phone coverage to be affected by the extreme weather.
We've been working hard throughout the year to improve the electricity networks’ resilience during extreme weather to help reduce the chance of power loss. This includes investment across Central and Southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire, North and Mid-Wales, and North Shropshire.
However, in the event of road closures caused by the storm it may be harder for our engineers to quickly reach faults in the network, so customers are being encouraged to prepare.
Guy Jefferson, Chief Operating Officer at SP Energy Networks, said: “Power cuts are rare but during storms they become more likely and the weather can make it difficult for our engineers to fix any issues that arise.
“With Storm Arwen forecast, it’s important our customers are fully prepared for a power cut, just in case.
“We’re currently mobilising teams of engineers to areas where we expect Storm Arwen to have the most impact and our teams are on hand 24/7 to help all of our customers should they find themselves without power. The faster we know about a power cut the more quickly we can begin work to get electricity restored, so if you experience a power cut please report it to us by calling the new national emergency helpline 105.”
Guy's top tips for being prepared in the event of a power outage are:
- Have the national 105 emergency helpline on hand - it’s best to keep this on the fridge or saved in the contacts on your mobile phone.
- Store a battery or wind-up torch – leave this somewhere you can access easily so you can use the torch to check on the fuse box and make your way around the house safely.
- Beware of fallen powerlines – power lines may have fallen because of high winds so beware of this when venturing out of your home.
- Keep your mobile charged – having your mobile phone charged means that you can give us a call on the national 105 emergency helpline. It’s also worth having an analogue phone as this doesn’t run off the main electricity supply.
- Join the free Priority Services Register – if electricity is crucial to your health (for instance, if you use medical equipment at home) or you have a child aged five or under, or you just feel you need a little extra help, ask to be included on SP Energy Networks’ Priority Services Register by calling 0330 1010 167 or text PSR to 61999.
For more information on what to do in the event of a power emergency, visit spenergynetworks.co.uk. In the event of a power cut call the national 105 emergency helpline.