Governments around the world, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, has given restriction directives, self-isolation rules, stay-at-home orders as well as shutdown of schools and organization and flatten the curve.
This restriction measures has affected the living patterns of residents of different countries, leading to panic buying, shortage of food items, and absence of social interaction.
Britons in the UK have been warned of potential electricity blackouts amid fears that staff shortages could lead to issues with the country’s power network.
Fears have been raised that 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, while industry chiefs have described it as ‘one of the most reliable networks in the world’.
It comes as 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, 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.”
A spokesperson for UK Power Networks said;
We regularly contact customers on our Priority Services Register, to ensure we meet their needs and it’s never more important than in the current circumstances. This is to ensure we continue to provide them with the best possible support.
The spokesman added that;
We are continuing to fix power cuts and maintain the electricity network to ensure its continued reliability. Across our networks, power supplies are 99.9 per cent reliable, and our dedicated teams are keeping the power flowing.
The advice comes as many electricity firms across the UK put non-essential infrastructure work on hold.
However a boss of 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.
David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association, which represents the gas and electricity grid operators across the country, said;
It is supported by stringent contingency plans and a workforce of 36,000 people. We’re keeping your energy flowing during the coronavirus pandemic and the network is operating exactly as it should.
The National Grid, which owns Britain’s electric power transmission network, previously said it plans in place to keep electricity running throughout the pandemic, however long it lasts.
In an official statement, the National Grid stated that;
We have well-developed procedures in place to manage the effects of a pandemic. We have asked all our employees who do not need to be onsite to work from home where possible, in line with government guidance.
