Really quite concerned about energy blackouts.

[User63683783736363]

Anyone else? If they actually happen. Hopefully it's just the media scaring us, I try and stay away from the news.

before anyone tells me in being hysterical, please hear me out. I know that all of us are in the same boat but..

I have two dc, both with sen. No power would be hell on Earth if it's the evenings. We had a power cut last night due to bad weather, it was stressful. They need routine. DS is petrified of the dark. We have torches and candles but it's still not ideal.

as well as this I'm concerned about how cut off we will be. Live in the middle of nowhere, don't get phone signal indoors at home so we rely heavily on the internet, wi-fi calling and even now our landline is plugged into our router after having a letter from BT to tell us to do so, so it's not like we can even use an old wired landline.

would mobile phone masts go out in a blackout? Sorry if I sound clueless , we don't get indoor signal but do get outdoor - but I can't sit outside for hours just in case someone needs to contact us.

I have two vulnerable relatives and worried they won't be able to get through for whatever reason!

again, sorry if sound ott. I wasn't too worried but after our power cut last evening for several hours, it got me worried.

As long as you know it’s going to happen it not that bad, thermos of hot tea or soup, ipad fully charged with bbc iPlayer box set ready and down loaded, off to bed with a packet of biscuits. If it happens then it will probably be between 4pm till 8pm. You can cook a nice dinner In The slow cooker through the day and when the electric goes off it will stay warm for quite a long time.

if you have little kids use the iPads, touches, put a small tent up in there bedroom make it a adventure.

I might sound like an idiot but I don't understand how you check in which zone you are? I entered postcode on website and nothing, can someone help me please?

You enter the postcode and it tells your your provider and then under that it gives your zone/block

The only one thing I can see is my provider, nothing else

Should look like this

you should see this

I’m the same but you’re not going to lose your job for a short term emergency blackout which is beyond your control.

I should imagine all companies are going to be embracing mixed office/home working to the extent that they will need people to be working at home when the company’s power is out anyway

That’s not right. The PSR just means you might get additional priority support during the blackout: so a generator in case of being medically dependent on electricity, or a voucher for a hotel, or a hot food van coming to your street, or a sandwich. Basic assistance, but still no power.

Thank you for your help! So, I'm zone P

hi all, I posted this and didn't get any replies at first now they are 160 of you discussing it and I've seen changed username.

mt main concern was being totally cut off due to no phone signal.

also coping with a severely autistic child who thrives on routine and is suffering relent badly with anxiety and black outs won't help that - especially because he gets after school burn out.

lets hope it doesn't happen.

going to check out which zone we are in. I'm a bit clueless though, despite reading your replies 😅

I have a child on a ventilator and I've already been warned that we are not exempt from blackouts. ☹️

The planned blackouts are only three hours per address so you should still have time to charge your vehicle.

Alternatively could you park somewhere with charge points while at work so you charge during the day? Or stop off on the way home to top up?

Wtf?
What on earth are you supposed to do?

I don't understand how to read the charts at all. What are the numbered vertical columns at the top from 1 to 18? I'm in block L.

I'm self employed and could lose a day's wages depending on the timings. 🙁

Column 1 is “we’ve still got quite a lot of electricity so just a few power cuts”. Column 2 is “not so much electricity now, so everything from column one plus these power cuts”. Right through to column 18, “Putin nuked the power stations so all of the power cuts from each column, and these ones too”.

Ignore the table with the columns since that just shows the order in which the blocks/zones are switched off. You only really need to look at that table to see the time slots.

look at the rotas with the black squares. The black squares are black out slots of three hours (but they say it could then take up to an hour to reconnnect so best to plan for four hours).

the rota for level 1 gives most zones 3 black out periods a week. If we move to the next level you need to read the next rota - for level 2. This adds in more black out times et

National grid are now paying the electricity companies to incentivise their customers financially to switch off. So it’s clearly a situation they’re worried about.

@ofwarren the ventilator does have a few hours battery back up, so we have to hope that works correctly and lasts long enough, and if not we go to hospital to use their plug sockets I guess!