Households are warned to prepare for BLACKOUTS by keeping torches and warm clothes nearby as energy firms battle to keep the lights on during coronavirus crisis

[SerendipityJane]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8170895/Britons-told-prepare-blackouts-keeping-torches-warm-clothes-nearby-coronavirus-crisis.html

Britons have been warned of the potential for blackouts amid growing fears that staff shortages could lead to issues with the country's power network.

Fears are growing that high levels of staff sickness during the coronavirus outbreak, mixed with the government's self-isolation rules, could lead to a shortage of engineers.

The National Grid insists that the network is able to cope.

But one electrical infrastructure firm has now written to some of its most vulnerable customers warning them to keep torches and warm clothes nearby in case of power cuts.

UK Power Networks, which owns and maintains the electricity cables in the South East and East of England, as well as London, has written to priority customers, including pensioners and those with young children, telling them what to do if their homes are hit with a power cut.

The advice, reported in The Daily Telegraph today, includes 'keeping a torch handy' and 'reducing heat loss by closing doors on unused rooms'.

Customers are also advised to have a 'hat, gloves and a blanket to hand to keep warm' and, where possible, to keep a corded telephone in the house, as well as a power bank to recharge mobile phones.

The advice comes as many electricity firms across the UK put non-essential infrastructure work on hold.

Companies have also implemented emergency strategies to deal with the knock-on effects of Covid-19, which has infected more than 20,000 people in the UK.

So far, 1,408 people have died as a result of the virus.

Other electricity distributors across the UK are also reportedly contacting the most vulnerable.

The energy firms are also ensuring staff can continue to work on essential projects while still abiding by the government's social distancing rules.

However a boss of one firm, SP Energy Networks, which operates in parts of Scotland, the North West and North Wales, said that staff sickness was a particular concern.

Concern was also raised about the length of time that the government's social distancing guidance could be in place for.

(also www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/30/keep-torch-handy-case-power-cuts-coronavirus-lockdown-households/)

We didn't panic buy, but did restock our freezers over a 2 month period after we had to replace a failed fridge/freezer that died this winter. We didn't panic buy; we did it sensibly over time and bought things we normally stock, so yes, now we have plenty of food to keep us going. Being gleeful people like us might have to bin it if we have major power outages is pretty shit.

If, and it's a very big IF, we have any 'blackouts', it's not going to be a permanent state of darkness.

I lives though the 3 day week in the 70s and worked on the 5th floor of a large building in London. We were not allowed to use the lifts in case there was a power cut and people got stuck.

We did have a couple of short power cuts, and whilst walking up all those stair probably helped keep us fit, it was actually pretty much unnecessary.

Likewise where I lived. No power cuts at all during the time I was at home.

I know other places were harder hit, but they were power cuts, not a complete 'blackout'. And I imagine if we were to have shortages now they would also be short term power cuts, not a long term blackout.

'Blackout' the term that the DM uses at the beginning of the article, and the OP uses in the title, sounds so much more dramatic than power cuts, the term used when the DM are quoting the electricity providers.

It's highly unlikely we're going to be plunged into a new dark age, the country needs utilities to function at even the most basic level and the army would be brought in before that would be allowed to happen.

I’m more shocked at people who don’t keep candles, torches, lighters and a fully charged phone power pack. I’m off to polish my prepper badge, before the lights go out. 😁

I specifically said I meant the bellends who cleaned the shops out three weeks ago.

50,000 people died in January in the UK and in February, as in fact, on average, every month, for the past 5 years. The electricity companies are ensuring they keep the system running, just like they do every month. Blackouts in the evening would not even help

Seriously, who writes this stuff???

No problem here - I still have about 1000 tea lights left from me wedding about 20 years ago

@T0tallyFuckedUpFamily, they will be the same people who don’t have enough toilet roll in stock.

Supermarkets queues will be even longer if people have to replace ruined food.

they will be the same people who don’t have enough toilet roll in stock.

And laughed at the preppers.

Well, electronic transactions would be impossible anyway, so let's hope they carry cash.

Have a look here and see where the real power is coming from, and its a bit short when the load is a bit too much on it!, so much so thay have to stoke up the olde coal plants!.

www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

I can’t actually bring myself to care if I’m honest. If it happens we will manage. It’s not exactly boiling outside at the moment

I work for an energy company and have not had any briefing about this. Typical DM bullshit but generally good idea to have a torch in the house plus some candles and matches.

And anyway people spend fortunes on candles so can’t imagine it would be much of a problem.

Checking the fuse box with a yankee candle clutched in one manicured hand is probably quite common in some areas .. .

It's about time careless reporting was treated as an offence. Utterly fed up with this and other 'reports' being posted everywhere.

cowfacemonkey

Iwanna you forgot 10 pence piece for emergency phone call“

Cowfacemonkey you see the documentary (May have been Ian Hislop?) about the Cold War, including the wonderful nugget that the PM and Defence Secretary (and their chauffeurs) were issued a bag of penny pieces and tuppences, so they might phone Whitehall and order the attack from a public phone box.
The alternative instruction, should they be caught short without the requisite official coinage? dial the operator and request a reverse charge call. 😂

Load of tosh - I work for a electricity generator and whilst some non essential work is on hold, we are throwing a load of resource at keeping plant operational.

I’m more shocked at people who don’t keep candles, torches, lighters and a fully charged phone power pack.

you forget the generators to keep your fridge/freezer working - you do have those haven't you?

We get a lot of power cuts here. We do have a little freezer space,, but our stores are mainly tins. Partly so we could cope better in the instance of a prolonged power failure.

It's basic to have a torch and a battery powered radio in the house as back up. I don't need the daily mail to tell me that.

Actually its true, my uncle in law is said the same thing weeks ago and he works with an energy firm

Oh please. DH works for a respected energy consultancy and this won't happen. Demand is super weird right now (e.g. Jaguar/Land Rover shutting down) but scaremongering about blackouts is incredibly irresponsible.

Try living in an earthquake prone country - we are prepared for that at any time!

I have to agree that it does sound highly dramatic all the same, and unlikely.

For those of you who think its just the DM, the Independent is running the exact same story

HERE for the Independent article

They are quite specific that the area particularly at risk is the East of England, including London.
However, UK Power Networks, which provides electricity to the southeast and east of England, including London, has written to vulnerable customers with advice on what to do if there is a power cut.

I have to say I am not looking forward to days wo electricty, aka no heating, no wifi and internet and 2 children stuck in the house.... Actually even a couple of hours might be tricky.

Expected staff shortages due to sickness or quarantine would be about 25%. The power companies can absolutely keep the lights on with 75% of their staff, but they might be slower than normal fixing any of the routine power glitches that happen from time to time.

Panicking is never good, but it’s always handy to know where you keep matches, candles, a few torches and perhaps a charged power bank and simple landline phone.