Dear colleagues,
UPDATE ON STORM ARWEN
This afternoon I updated the House on the steps we are taking in response to the disruption caused by Storm Arwen and how we are working to ensure electricity is restored to the remaining people’s homes. Storm Arwen brought severe weather including high winds of up to 100mph, rain, snow, and ice which has caused some of the most severe disruption since 2005. Many people across the country – but particularly in Northern England and Scotland – have been without power for multiple days. I want to reassure people who are still without power that my department, alongside incredibly dedicated teams of engineers, have been working round the clock, in dangerous conditions, to restore the network. Whilst over 95 per cent of those affected by the storm – over 935,000 customers – have had their power supply restored so far, I know this will be of little consolation to those currently disconnected, which is why we are working so hard to restore power.
The specific areas most severely affected are: Wear Valley surrounding Eastgate and North Northumberland; the North Peak District and the South Lake areas; and Aberdeenshire and Perthshire. Yesterday, I spoke with the CEOs of Northern Powergrid, Electricity North West, and Scottish and Southern Energy Networks to seek assurance that restoration is happening as fast as it can. I am pleased to see these operators sharing their resources through mutual aid agreements and surging engineers to the worse affected areas. I also spoke to a number of local resilience for a to receive the latest update from the ground. For people still experiencing issues or in need of further support, they should contact their electricity network operator by dialling “105” from their landline or mobile.
This will automatically route them to the right operator based on their location. People may also be eligible for compensation and can find more details on the Ofgem website: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advicehouseholds/check-compensation-rules-power-cut-or-supply-problem I have been assured that the overwhelming majority of those still without power will be restored by the end of this week. I know this has been a tough week for many of our constituents and I want to thank them for their fortitude in the face of this severe weather.
When the power is back up, I will be asking my team to see what lessons can be learnt from Storm Arwen to build a more resilient power system in the future. If colleagues would like a named contact for their network operator, please contact my PPS Felicity Buchan.
