- Fears raised that sickness and self-isolation could lead to engineer shortages and possibility of power cuts
- One infrastructure company advises customers to keep a torch nearby in case of blackouts during pandemic
- Firm says customers should keep warm items such as a ‘hat, gloves and a blanket to hand’ during a power cut
- The National Grid and industry chiefs insist the network can cope with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak
Britons have been warned of the potential for 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.
Tanjent’s PowerBanx X battery storage, in pale grey enclosure (Image: Tanjent)
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.
Read more: Daily Mail
