Storm Dudley: Northern Powergrid says it’s ready to deal with Sheffield storm damage electricity cuts

Homes in Sheffield and Chesterfield have already been hit by power cuts. Northern Powergrid reported that at least 160 homes in Greenhill were without electricity earlier today (Wednesday, February 16), as well as at least 20 properties on the outskirts of Loxley.

In Chesterfield, 857 properties in Brimington and Hollingwood were affected. Western Power deals with that area.

Northern Powergrid said: “We are aware that both storms carry a threat of gale force winds, forecast for our operating area from Wednesday evening, potentially causing damage to our network. We want to assure you that we closely track the weather and have ensured our resources are in place to respond if the storms impact our network.

“Our network control engineers have capability to restore power supplies remotely, switching electricity through alternative routes on our network wherever possible to get customers back on supply. In parallel our frontline workforce will be deployed to carry out local switching and repairs to restore power as safely and quickly as possible, conditions allowing.

“We will continue to track the forecast closely, as we always do. If the situation develops we will keep you updated by text (where we have your number) and email - please keep an eye out for these updates.

“As a reminder: if you do lose power, you can report your power cut online at www.northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts or take a look at our 24/7 social media feeds on Facebook and Twitter (@NorthPowergrid).

“Informing us that you have no power means we can keep in touch with you during the power cut.

What should you do in a power cut?

“We are also reminding anyone who spots any damaged overhead power lines or other equipment that they must not approach the area and should report it immediately by calling 105. Our 24/7 contact centre will be available with advisors ready to provide information, advice and support to customers who call 105, the free, three-digit power cut number.

“If you have a disability, medical condition or very young family, who may need greater assistance during a power cut and have signed up to our Priority Services Membership, we will keep you updated as a priority. If you require further support, you can contact our dedicated priority service line 0800 169 2996. Our customer support vehicles are also prepped and ready to go out into local communities, where possible, to offer help on the ground to those who need it most.”

The firm said it had learnt lessons from Storm Arwen last November and would give longer estimates of likely power restoration times before the extent of the damage to the network was fully known.

It added: “During that time, we will expect to get a lot of supplies restored by reconfiguring the network, but we will not yet know which customers are affected by damage that needs physical repair to restore supplies. In those early stages, we will be working hard to assess the damage so that we can provide more precise updates as the situation unfolds.

“You can also find some useful hints and tips on what to do during a power cut on our website at www.northernpowergrid.com/what-to-do-in-a-power-cut”.

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