Are you ready for big coat weather?

The question comes as part of a new campaign aimed at helping more people ensure they are winter ready.

Electricity network operator, Northern Powergrid, is encouraging people across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, to be prepared for winter weather and raising awareness of the extra help available for anyone who may be more vulnerable.

Throughout the winter, Northern Powergrid will be sharing top tips on how to stay safe and be prepared in case severe weather damages its network and causes a power cut.  It aims to get people thinking about what they need to do to be winter ready and act. Top tips include:

• creating a grab bag at home containing:
  • torches and spare batteries,
  • charged power banks for mobile phones,
  • a wind up or battery powered radio, and
  • hand warmers, blankets, thermal sock and gloves.
• saving Northern Powergrid’s Power Cut Map to mobile phones as it’s the quickest way to report and track a power cut, and
• adding 105 – the free number to report a power cut – to mobile phones.

It’s important that millions of households across the region whose homes and businesses are connected to the electricity network know how to be prepared if their power ever goes off, and ensure anyone who may be more vulnerable becomes a Priority Services Member. This will help them access extra support in a power cut and free energy advice services if they - or anyone they know - is struggling with their energy costs from their chosen supplier.

Louise Lowes, Northern Powergrid’s Director of Customer Service, said: “We know we are more likely to see severe weather in winter that can damage our power network. We work hard all year investing in our network and doing everything we can to make sure our customers’ electricity supply is as reliable as possible, especially as we prepare for the winter months.

“Our teams are ready to respond and support our customers, but it’s also important that people know what they can - and should do - if they have a power cut.

“We are sharing important advice and encouraging people to take a few simple steps now like saving our online power cut map on their mobile and adding 105 - the free national number to report a power cut - to their mobile contacts.

“We’re also directing customers to our free online advice, so people know what to do if their power goes off and make sure they are prepared as possible, whilst we work to safely get their lights back on.”

As well as top tips on what to do before, during and after a power cut, Northern Powergrid’s ‘be prepared’ page also provides links to:

• join Northern Powergrid’s free Priority Services Membership online or by calling 0800 169 2996 to get extra help if medically dependant on electricity, are of pensionable age, have children under five, or have specific communications needs, poor mobility, a serious illness or mental health care needs.
• Northern Powergrid’s commitment to customer service and improving the services it offers now and in the future,
• information about how the weather can impact its network, particularly during the winter months, and
• how the network operator monitors forecasts to inform its response and helps reduces the risk of impact by investing millions of pounds each year on network inspections and vegetation management.
• information about Northern Powergrid’s discretionary customer welfare support for people affected by a long duration power cut,
• information on how Northern Powergrid works with local partners to support customers and inform wider regional responses in communities in escalated events.

The electricity network operator is proactively contacting millions of customers and reaching into communities, through a range of community publications and outdoor display screens, to raise awareness and encourage more people to check out its top tips, and access free advice and extra support.

Northern Powergrid is also using the Met Office’s website and app to remind people to think about what they need to do if severe weather is forecast and show its teams are ready to support customers if their power is affected, whether it is caused by a fault on their local electricity network, severe weather damaging electrical equipment or a wider energy emergency.