Blackouts in England And Wales
On 9 August 2019, nearly a million people were affected by a major power cut across large areas of England and Wales, including the Midlands, the South East, South West and North East of England, and Wales. This affected businesses, homes and transport networks, with hundreds stranded at railway stations or on trains: and traffic lights stopping working. The electricity suppliers, the National Grid, said two separate power generators had failed but supplies had now been restored. (BBC News)
According to the National Grid’s director of operations, Duncan Burt, this was an “incredibly rare event” and the company would “learn lessons”, but the electricity regulator Ofgen, has demanded an “urgent detailed report” on the problem and could take action against the company, including a fine. The government also said it would investigate what went wrong. (More BBC News)
Incredibly Rare Events Can Happen
You may hear the term “rare, statistically speaking”, which means something is not very likely to happen but IT’S NOT IMPOSSIBLE for it to happen. It might be rare, but it is possible. And if it is possible, then sod’s law says it will happen at the very worst time possible. If it happens at the worst time, then the consequences, the results, will be the worst possible.
Problems With Power Cuts
The most obvious ones are:
- The lights go out, no TV, no computer, no radio;
- The stove cooking your dinner goes off;
- The heat goes off -it’s cold in winter;
- Traffic lights may go out, causing traffic chaos;
- Electric trains like the underground stop running with trains stuck in tunnels or between stations;
- Lifts stop operating, possible stuck between floors;
- Petrol pumps stop working – no fuel;
- ATMs stop working – no money;
- Freezers defrost.
Planning Ahead
- Batteries;
- Battery radio, keep laptop charged up while electricity on
- Rechargeable Torches kept on charge all the time. or candles and matches (be careful with these);
- gas stove, camping stove, gas or charcoal barbecue or coal fire for cooking;
- gas or coal fire for heating;
- keep a stash of cash for emergencies
- keep freezers closed, keep them topped up or use boxes and newspapers for insulation and lower heat gain.