Will there be power cuts or energy rationing in autumn winter?

[cherrypiepie]

A friend mentioned this is likely. Is it and how do I prep.

Have a gas hob and a log fire, bought an power bank for devices (phone) but not sure what this actually means and will it happen? How do I prep?

I'm thinking like the winter of discontent? Before I was born so not really sure what is going to happen ir if I have got mixed up.

I'm putting and other £100 aside for energy bills. This time last year it was £66 a month now it £115. Sure it's will go up again.

I think they’ll do the same as Germany first. Cut street lighting, display lighting, fountains and heating/lights in public buildings etc.

tbh I’m not sure why they haven’t already cut street lighting. Even cutting every other lamppost would make an enormous difference.

I was a child in the 70’s and I remember having to cook the tea early, before the electric went off.
Hot water bottles prepared and put in beds early. Going to bed early.
Having a blanket on the couch at night.
Candles for light - although safer versions available now.
And that’s it, no need to panic.

My parents actually look back quite fondly in a weird way to the seventies. They spent most of the winter sitting under the stairs huddled under blankets because that was the warmest place in their house. But they say it was something you just got on with and pulled through. Obviously the world was far less dependent on electricity then. I’m not sure how my teenagers will view rolling blackouts!

@cherrypiepie the Rangemaster needs electricity for the gas hobs to function, as the clock needs to be set for the cooker to work at all (discovered as ours went through a phase of tripping)

We have an old corded phone for powercut reasons too. Useful if emergencies if mobiles aren’t working.

Lucky you (seriously!) we're in an area where ours won't work any more now.

APC are a good brand for home UPS. You need to calculate the load you want to put through it and how long you want it to go for. I should have said though, if the internet providers power goes, then you wouldn't have internet anyway.

If you know anyone vulnerable and power cuts start to look likely, then ensure they have a corded phone available to plug into a phone socket. There's a bit of info www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/problems/landlines-and-power-cuts

xPost! Sorry, I was reading if it were still the case that corded phones would work as I'd read something recently that made me doubt this.

Errol, it looks like the OfCom link is outdated advice given what you've said. Is it really the case now that some landlines won't work?

My corded phone still works.

They are trying to switch all phones to digital by 2025 so yes there areas already where the old lines no longer work

This Government aren't known for planning ahead. They have a head in the sand approach.

We should be doing stuff now. Reducing our energy use. Building up our reserves. We use gas to generate electricity. Do we really need to use all that gas now or can we wait until we need the gas to use it.

It feels a bit like those films when you they are shipwrecked and waste all the food instead of planning ahead.

But this Government is missing in action.

Delete my advice if you live in an area that has shifted to BT digital voice.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-59564480
How are BT fulfilling Ofcoms rules?

If anyone looking at the phone issue wants to go down the rabbit hole that is VoIP and the issues and obligations of providers then www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/137966/future-fixed-telephone-services.pdf is the link for you.

You ring them up and ask for battery back up in a home router than can support a plug in phone - if you don't have or can't use for whatever reason - mobile coverage

to run the house on a generator you have two choices

1. generator is hard wired in via a triple pole switch and then all the sockets and lights will work if the generator is big enough to power them all.
2. you fire the generator up in an outbuilding, before you start it you earth it, then run an extension cable to the house where you plug in a few essentials. if you give freezers 4x 1 hour of power throughout a 24 hour period they will stay cold obviously don’t open them anything with a heating element will be too much for a small genny but you can run the internet and charge phones. I have a 900w genny which will do fridge freezer internet chest freezer and maybe tv. if I was buying a genny I’d go for 2.5kw or above as that will run the washer

Last time industry worked odd hours when most folks were in bed. You were warned when and where the cut offs would be. They'll be honing the plans now.

We're all going to cut back anyway this winter is save money I expect.

I have heard recently of people wanting to put solar panels onto buildings being told they cannot sell excess electricity to the national grid as there is no spare capacity. Also wind turbines being turned off for the same reason.
Is the national grid not big enough if there is no capacity but we still have to import energy?

I think, in summary, if you have been moved over by BT to their digital phone system via internet and you are vulnerable, then contact them and ask that they supply you with a battery back up. If they can't do that, ask them how they are going to protect your ability to call emergency services should you lose power.

Thanks @midgetastic

A long armed lighter or three. So that if you have gas but no electric you can ignite your hob/oven, as well as candles in jars

@Hadalifeonce my understanding is that is more to do with balancing power at a local level

Ring who? The provider?

We have been switched over to fully digital services and the landline no longer works when the router goes, and the router goes as soon as the electricity goes, so I really would like to know what to do when this happens.

Yes, the provider.

Could someone link to a ups and to a generator that would keep a fridge running?

Rather than go the UPS/generator route, could you get hold of a 2nd hand caravan/boat fridge? These usually run off both 230v (ie the mains) and a car battery as back up. I'm no expert, so maybe someone with further knowledge can advise?