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Original poster

Storm Arwen

354 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 25/11/2021 11:01

www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2021-11-26

I am a bit concerned about this one. Widespread gusts to 60mph, but reaching 80mph in parts of the NE. Winds from a NW direction will bring down more trees than you would expect for this level of gusts as it is an unusual direction.

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Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/11/2021 08:51

That is terrible unescorted. It must be very cold.
Why on earth can't they provide them with a generator.

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Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/11/2021 20:47

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-59451287 all schools in Aberdenshire closed for the next two days.

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Unescorted · 28/11/2021 20:54

A generator has finally turned up - it took multi agency intervention and most of my data.

Palosverdesblue · 28/11/2021 21:35

That must be a relief for you Unescorted. Horrible experience for you all.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/11/2021 21:47

Well done for battling through Unescorted

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Bobbobbobbing · 30/11/2021 09:17

Glad to hear you got a generator sorted unescorted. Hope a permanent fix is done by now.

We are now in day 4 without power and no estimate of when it will come back on. We are in the priority list because dh uses a sleep apnoea machine, our neighbour because they have their elderly parents who need electric hoists and hospital beds. Neither of us have been contacted by northern powergrid. Thankfully we can keep the downstairs at a reasonable temp as we have 2 logburners but upstairs is very chilly!

Glitterblue · 01/12/2021 00:59

We've only just got our electricity back on - I have never been so relieved, and have never enjoyed a shower or a cup of tea so much!

@Bobbobbobbing we are also on the priority register due to our daughter's extreme prematurity and resulting chronic lung disease, and never heard a peep!

FanGirlX · 01/12/2021 01:50

Colleague is in Grange over Sands, Cumbria. They've had no electricity since Saturday. Other local towns and villages are the same.

Bobbobbobbing · 01/12/2021 07:39

We've now been told "maybe" late friday.

And I fell over and think I've done something nasty to my elbow. I hope minor injuries is warm!

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 01/12/2021 07:47

I can understand that the power still hasn't been restored to many. This really was an extreme storm and I suspect that in areas the wind gusts were rather above the 99mph official recordings. It isn't good enough though that priority list customers have been left without being contacted. It sounds like they just weren't prepared for anything on this scale.
I'm also wondering why we don't have anything like the US FEMA for this sort of situation and why there isn't a centralised move to offer hotel places for those priority list people without power.

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nannynick · 01/12/2021 09:15

My mum got power back Late afternoon on Sunday. The village she used to live in, in the mountains, still has no power.

I think the difficulty is that some powerlines run through areas where they are very inaccessible. Helicopter access but not road. So line repairs in mountain region may take a long time. Due to the amount of damage, re-routing power via other lines is not possible as those are damaged as well. So any resiliency that was built in to the system did not work in this situation.

Roystonv · 01/12/2021 09:17

We as a family have been very lucky in our area of Cumbria but I want to send good wishes to those with major problems. I follow our town council fb and nothing on there about how the town or anyone else is helping/or can help those who are less fortunate in the areas affected.

nannynick · 01/12/2021 09:35

In Scotland SSEN are now reimbursing alternative accommodation: See 30/11 9pm update - news.ssen.co.uk/news/all-articles/2021/november/storm-arwen-red-alert/

Power is being restored to villages but from what one of the linesmen has posted on FB, the strategy is to get as many people on supply as possible and then move on to the next village. That way most will be back on supply and those whose supply does not restore can then stay with friends in the village or a hotel.

To me that sounds like a good strategy, getting the main sub stations back on supply. Though for those who are connected to the sub via overhead wires, if those are damaged it may be some time before they get supply restored.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 01/12/2021 13:07

Well done SSEN. That does sound more helpful than I'd realised.
It sounds like Northern Powergrid are doing more too.
www.northernpowergrid.com/news/northern-powergrid-enhances-customer-welfare-provision-and-restores-power-to-95-of-customers-after-storm-arwen

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Bobbobbobbing · 01/12/2021 17:41

I've broken bones in my wrist and elbow. This is going to make things even more tricky.

Northern powergrid have agreed to pay DH's hotel bill, but we can't get anywhere suitable for the kids or the dog so we are still at home. Welfare check from the council who suggested friday was optimistic and we should go elsewhere.. the only place we could go is my parents which is 100 miles away and would mean the kids coming out of school. Plus I can't drive now and dh can't.

Bobbobbobbing · 01/12/2021 17:43

Thanks to the prepper board we are in a better position than we would otherwise. And dh is letting me buy a generator once we can actually find one!

nannynick · 01/12/2021 22:31

On no @Bobbobbobbing sorry to hear that you have injured yourself, which makes things harder.

PickAChew · 02/12/2021 00:16

I'm lucky we weren't cut off but do wonder how we'd manage if we were. Both kids autistic, one severely - incontinent and refuses to layer up. So, he's underdressed even for a coolish house, pisses the bed every night and soils himself every day. It's a lot of laundry. We can't take him to a hotel because of the bedwetting. Being a priority customer clearly means sod all when restoring your supply means removing a massive tree from your local substation (and I don't mean that in a sarcastic way)

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/12/2021 07:37

:( Bob

I'm frankly rather baffled at how the army are only now being called in. The slow response in winter conditions needs looking at from all angles.

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Bobbobbobbing · 03/12/2021 12:08

We've now been told 10pm on the 5th. Some people getting told the 8th!

I'm getting to the end of my tether and I'm relatively fit and young with kids old enough to cope. God help others less fortunate.

Bobbobbobbing · 03/12/2021 12:09

Oh and we forgot about the sump in the cellar so that's now flooded.

PickAChew · 03/12/2021 14:43

Yes, our council only declared a major incident, yesterday. It's not even just remote areas that are still without power.

Bobbobbobbing · 03/12/2021 15:29

I'm S Tyneside- just on the edge of Sunderland. We had one call from the council who said they couldn't find us anywhere that would take the dog.
I've just asked Northern powergrid to pay for a taxi to take us all over to Cumbria so we can stay with my parents as the contact centre said even the 5th would be optimistic. I'm tired, cold, sore and fed up now.

bentleyd · 03/12/2021 21:13

We just got ours back yesterday, we moved to my parents for 6 days

vickyc90 · 03/12/2021 21:22

@Bobbobbobbing

I'm S Tyneside- just on the edge of Sunderland. We had one call from the council who said they couldn't find us anywhere that would take the dog. I've just asked Northern powergrid to pay for a taxi to take us all over to Cumbria so we can stay with my parents as the contact centre said even the 5th would be optimistic. I'm tired, cold, sore and fed up now.
We've used the honest lawyer with dogs. It's in Durham but better than nothing
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