Winter blackout contingency planning

TheGardener

@EssexHebridean. I never want to experience anything like that again - even in 'town' it was dreadful. I remember opening the back door and it was like stepping into the path of an oncoming train...it took 2 of us to close the door. We lost a lot of slate and all the lead flashing...it peeled off like sweet wrappers 

you are right - so many people have never had to live through times as hard as this, it's not constructive to play it down. 

ChaunceyGardiner

orbit500 said:

I may setup a socket or five on the drive with a coin meter and charge millennials £5 a re-charge.

The oldest millennials turn 40 this year. Are they really your target market?

casjen

I wont be making any plans as there wont be power cuts... people lap up media headlines as if their life depends on it and it doesn't.

[Deleted User]

casjen said:

I wont be making any plans as there wont be power cuts... people lap up media headlines as if their life depends on it and it doesn't.

Governments across Europe are putting measures in place to reduce energy consumption because of a shortage of Russian gas. At times, gas is used to generate 50% of our electricity. It is a brave person who states in a warm October that there will be no power cuts. I well recall going to school in the Winter of 1962 /63. The ‘Big Freeze’ lasted for months.

Looking back, the 6th March 1963 was the first day of the year when there wasn’t a frost. Even the great River Thames froze completely over.

Are you suggesting that if there is a cold-weather event this coming Winter that our power supplies are fully protected from any shortages? Clearly, The National Grid has a different view. Even our closest neighbour is putting plans in place and it is encouraging its citizens to use less energy:

https://www.france24.com/en/france/20220911-french-industries-try-adapting-to-the-energy-crisis-ahead-of-winter

Most sensible people will plan for the worst, and hope for the best.

RobM99

daveyjp said:

I know we would have no problem as we did actually have a local power cut about month ago which lasted far longer than 3 hours.

Gas fire, gas cooker, gas hob so heating and eating covered.

Camping lights and torches

Battery powered devices

Crikey - that sounds like me! Camping lantern with rechargeable batteries, camping stove and other camping bits may well get used!

matelodave

We can just decant ourselves into our caravan and get settled down with central heating and cooking all running from the battery and calor gas - we've done it in the case of prolonged cuts, because we can.

However you can get by without too much effort with a torch, some blankets and make some sandwiches and if you really want a hot drink make up a flask before the schedule cut. A three -four hour cut isn't really going to have that much of an impact on most people, especially if you know when its going to happen and you can plan for it.

I'm guessing that despite all the handwringing and forecasts of Armagedón from the DM and BBC it wont happen anyway and a lot of people will be quite disappointed - much like a lot of the other forecast disasters that have turned out like damp squibs.

As Dolor says, plan for the worst and hope for the best and you'll be OK

Eldi_Dos

sheramber said:

During the three day week we had a street lamp outside our house which wa son a different circuit to us.

When it was off, we had light / power in the house

When we had no power the street lamp was on so we kept the curtains open for light.

We had storage heating so the house stayed warm and cuddling the dog kept us warm.

I think that was a deliberate policy to keep street lights on in areas that where having power cuts if there was enough spare capacity,and to turn street lights off in areas that had power, if need be. I can remember the older members of the family viewed the turning off of street lights as a ominous sign.

wittynamegoeshere

PM who previously worked for an energy company and had her leadership campaign part-funded by another one announces shocking news that she doesn't want people to use less energy.  Shocking, not.

[Deleted User]

wittynamegoeshere said:

PM who previously worked for an energy company and had her leadership campaign part-funded by another one announces shocking news that she doesn't want people to use less energy.  Shocking, not.

PM announces that she doesn’t want to spend £15 million to tell people to turn off their lights and turn down the heating - that would be a more accurate summary but perhaps wouldn’t score the political point that you are attempting to.

Novice_investor101

As someone who regularly goes camping for 2 weeks at a time with no electricity, I’ll cope just fine. Two decent power banks will keep my rechargeable torches & radio powered & the camping stoves for cooking, I’ve plenty of gas for those & an alcohol stove. 

I made sure i had a gas hob & a gas fire when I bought my house, so cooking & keeping warm with the fires, blankets or the winter sleeping bags is covered. As for entertainment, battery powered radio or a book! 

I very much doubt the gas would be cut off, but who knows.