UK gas/electricity supply shortages this winter

[StoneRoad]

Well, I had some practice at what to do with an evening blackout last night ...

We had a power cut at 19:15.
Resumption of service about 15 minutes later, only for it to go off again at 20:29.

The second interruption lasted until approximately 01:45 [I think], although "PowerGrid" had warned it might be 03:00 before electricity was fully restored.

I have been given to understand that something on the "High Tension" side went "phhuuttttt" at one of the local switchyards / substations.
It was, wet and very windy at times last night - and has been for a couple of days - so I was expecting the explanation to be fallen tree or other pole route damage.

As a result, the oil lamps, torches & candles came out, although we stuck to torches and other battery sources.

Today, the log fire is getting laid properly, the oil lamps are having their wicks looked at & the reservoirs filled. And my phone, laptop & external power pack are all currently re-charging.

 

[elbows]

My only experience of a prolonged power cut went on for days and days as a result of the midlands blizzard in December 1990. They were even having problems with the piped water supply by the end, but things were restored just before the desperation reached the next level.

Nothing that prolonged is being publicly planned for this time, and I expect that many people will rise to the challenge of coping with rolling blackouts if they only last for the timespans indicated. People will still need to use some of that spirit to look out for the needs of those less well placed to cope. And I do not utterly rule out the possibility of more prolonged issues, but I doubt I will spend too long crossing that bridge in advance, not unless the prospect of that shit becomes more obviously likely.

 

[weepiper]

We used to have power cuts all the time when I was growing up in a rural farmhouse with rickety elderly power lines. It was ok though because the only heating was a coal fire anyway and we had plenty of paraffin hurricane lanterns and a big camping stove to make tea on. Most people don't live like that these days.

 

[two sheds]

Generator sales are likely to be on the up.

 

[weepiper]

It makes me really glad my kids are all older now. How are people going to warm a bottle for a baby, or give them an unscheduled bath when they have one of their explosive nappies or give themselves a shower when the baby has puked all over them?

 

[gentlegreen]

As I've already mentioned recently, there are going to be fatalities this winter with people burning tee lights under flowerpots, using unready chimneys and and goodness knows what else.
At least this time - unlike the 70s, we have cheap and effective battery-powered LED lights.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Generator sales are likely to be on the up.

I took mine to be serviced at the local DIY store and he had bloody loads of them in there, waiting to be collected. I’m gonna leave it at my parents, just incase, because I only use it to run power tools on my boat. We can also use it to run/charge things for the neighbours if they need help. I worry that folks don’t know how to use them safely, I’ve known boaters die from running them off the back or modifying the exhaust. We’ve also got this ridiculous huge diesel genny at my parents, that was a boat engine that El Jugs insisted we save for end times.He wasn’t far wrong was he? It was hell getting that thing from London to here in a van, it weighs a ton.

 

[Karl Masks]

It makes me really glad my kids are all older now. How are people going to warm a bottle for a baby, or give them an unscheduled bath when they have one of their explosive nappies or give themselves a shower when the baby has puked all over them?

I suspsect that's just what they will do and so when the bill comes in January or April there will be national shockwaves as the government is faced with a ton of people that can't pay.

 

[weepiper]

I suspsect that's just what they will do and so when the bill comes in January or April there will be national shockwaves as the government is faced with a ton of people that can't pay.

I mean how are they going to do these things if we're having rolling power outages between 4-7pm. It won't be about being able to pay or not. It just won't be possible.

 

[cupid_stunt]

It makes me really glad my kids are all older now. How are people going to warm a bottle for a baby, or give them an unscheduled bath when they have one of their explosive nappies or give themselves a shower when the baby has puked all over them?

People will cope, just like we did back in the 70s with rolling blackouts, caused by the miner's strikes.

 

[bcuster]

will there be television stations available to watch during blackout?

 

[cupid_stunt]

will there be television stations available to watch during blackout?

How would that help, if you have no power to watch them?

 

[bcuster]

How would that help, if you have no power to watch them?

generator?

 

[gentlegreen]

Maybe it's time for me to get into downloadable podcasts again - I'm so used to hearing human voices via youtube ... live radio does not appeal - it's been a very long time - and I can't even get French radio on LW any more ...

 

[bcuster]

generator?

so are the TV stations, cable, etc powering down or will they continue to broadcast during "blackout" hours?

 

[cupid_stunt]

generator?

Well, back in the 70s we had a B&W portable running off a car battery during the power cuts, so the main TV transmitters must have had backup systems, not sure if they still do.

I don't have a TV aerial, and be buggered if I'll pay Virgin for TV, so I have Freesat, clearly the satellite channels will continue as normal, but I don't have a generator.

I have several films & about 80 hours of Glastonbury on an external hard drive, and the laptop's battery will last longer than 3 hours, so I am sorted.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Plus, I've an open invite to join my brother & SiL in their caravan, on their their drive, to watch telly, as they have a a portable satellite dish, and the caravan's TV & Freesat box runs off the battery, and heating from bottled gas.

 

[StoneRoad]

During last night's power cut [#91] I was very pleased that our water supply seemed to be staying on ...

Our house & the immediate neighbour are at the highest point of a pumped "ring main" and we are higher than the reservoir.
When we first moved here, anytime the mains power went off, so did the pumps at the reservoir - equals no water.
Similarly, when someone locally really used a lot of water, we had almost no water pressure.
This quickly got annoying, so we started complaining ...

Eventually, after several years [!] we were told that standby generators were to be installed. Then they were put in ...
Additionally, the electric supply bods did a load of work to improve the resilience of the system - extra wires, more switchgear and a new "hub" etc
Great !
Until we discovered that the pump controller had also failed, meaning that loss of power supply did not automatically start the generator ...
Cue more complaining ... usually, the only action was to send the local "on call" water board guy to "kick start" the genni. Which as the loss of power didn't happen very often, became the "normal" response.

Finally, the Water Board & the Electric Board got their combined act together ... It only took about ten years.

 

[WouldBe]

It makes me really glad my kids are all older now. How are people going to warm a bottle for a baby, or give them an unscheduled bath when they have one of their explosive nappies or give themselves a shower when the baby has puked all over them?

Bulk buy wet wipes.

 

[StoneRoad]

And if you do rely on "wet wipes" don't flush 'em down the pan. Wrap them and dispose of in the bin.

Wet wipes are one of the biggest parts of "fat bergs" that block sewers.

 

[bcuster]

I'm confused as to whether broadcast entities will be required to power down during blackout hours

 

[weepiper]

I'm sure this is all fine

BBC prepares secret scripts for possible use in winter blackouts

Exclusive: Scripts set out how corporation will reassure public in event of major power loss

www.theguardian.com

 

[NoXion]

I'm confused as to whether broadcast entities will be required to power down during blackout hours

Why would they?

 

[NoXion]

If power cuts end up cutting into my gaming time, then I'm going to be very annoyed. Might pass the time imagining what it would be like to repeatedly kick Putin in the face.

 

[two sheds]

They'll have to keep BBC 1 going at least - how else will we learn of the start of world wars or great national disasters?

 

[Karl Masks]

I mean how are they going to do these things if we're having rolling power outages between 4-7pm. It won't be about being able to pay or not. It just won't be possible.

Well, that is the question. Given most people, I daresay, will be coming home at that time it won't be workable I would have thought. I don't think people will tolerate that, it's completely out of our experience these days

 

[bcuster]

Why would they?

so the blackouts apply strictly to residential customers?

 

[StoneRoad]

so the blackouts apply strictly to residential customers?

I doubt it, last time this situation was likely, the energy companies also rationed power to industrial customers ...

Anyone remember the winter of discontent . 3-day weeks and the like.

I seem to remember that about the only lightly affected organisations were hospitals (& the like) and a number of places that were not heavy drains on power supplies.
I believe that some companies invested in standby generators ... as did a few schools and hospitals.

 

[kalmatthew]

so the blackouts apply strictly to residential customers?

No the blackouts are very blunt tools, and it's not possible to avoid individual premises being cut off. They only way tv transmitters would stay in is if they have arranged redundant power of some sort most likely a generator but I don't know if they do. I'd suspect its more likely main transmitters do.

 

[StoneRoad]

tbh, I think a number of places will be checking the status of their standby supplies, be that generators or battery banks.

It might be leaving it a bit late ...