We’ve all been there – that moment when the lights flicker and go off, and don’t immediately come back on.
Power cuts can happen for a variety of reasons, some more serious than others, and last from a matter of seconds to hours – but when you suddenly find yourself without electricity, what do you do next….?
Aside from the obvious;
Switching off appliances that shouldn’t be left unattended – ready for when the power comes back on
Leaving a light on so you know when the power outage has been resolved
….many people don’t know they should contact their electricity network operator.
They often mistakenly call the electricity supplier they pay their bills to!
So that’s why the electricity network operators have introduced 105 – to give you an easy-to-remember number to call that will put you through to the local people who can help.
In England, Scotland and Wales, there are six Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) that operate in different geographical regions and multiple Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) that operate across regions.
DNOs and IDNOs are each responsible for ensuring that homes and businesses have electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
They manage and maintain the underground cables, overhead wires and substations that bring electricity into homes and businesses. They are the people you should contact if you experience a power outage – no matter who you pay your bill to.
Hopefully they can give you any idea what the problem is and how long it might take to get fixed. If it’s stormy, that may well be the cause of any problems, but falling trees and things crashing into power lines are among the many things that can cause an outage.
So remember, wherever you live in England, Scotland or Wales, 105 will put you through to the electricity network operator in your area!