Skip to content

Storm Arwen: Government review into power cuts starts

Electricity North WEast Electricity workers checking overhead power linesElectricity North WEast
Energy companies have been working round the clock to restore power since Storm Arwen hit on 26 November

A government review has started into how power companies responded as Storm Arwen caused major damage, leaving some homes without electricity for 12 days.

Ministers say they want power companies to take measures so future potential disruption is mitigated.

Hundreds of thousands of people in north-east England, Cumbria and Scotland were left without power, when the storm hit on 26 November.

The government said that was unacceptable.

PA Media Soldiers delivering supply packagesPA Media
Military personnel were called in to help with the recovery effort

The review is aiming to find issues with and make recommendations to improve the resilience of electricity networks across the UK.

It will also look at the way power companies communicated with customers and the support that was offered to vulnerable customers.

Storm Arwen caused the most severe disruption to power supplies since 2005, and led to military personnel being deployed in Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland to provide support to residents.

In Scotland, about 80,000 homes in Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and the Moray coast were left without electricity as a result of the damage caused.

Northern Powergrid Business Secretary talking to Northern Powergrid workersNorthern Powergrid
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng visited St John's Chapel in County Durham at the weekend

The review announced by the government to "build a more resilient power system" comes as industry regulator Ofgem launched its own review looking at how each individual network operator performed against the legal standards they are required to.

Ofgem will consider enforcement action if it is found that network operators failed.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: "There is an urgent need to identify and resolve a number of issues which came to light during the Storm Arwen response, and the review I've commissioned, alongside Ofgem's, will ensure any failings are addressed."

Durham County Council Council worker at the door of a resident's homeDurham County Council
Workers from Durham County Council helped affected residents in Teesdale and Weardale

Remaining homes and businesses without power in north-east England had supplies restored on Tuesday.

Northern Powergrid described it as the "worst storm in over 20 years".

The outcome of the review will be published by the end of March 2022, with an interim report expected to be published within 8 weeks.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].