Storm Arwen: Ofgem brands response as 'unacceptable'

Winds of 100mph caused widespread disruption, uprooted trees and damaged power lines, cutting the electricity supply from November 26 across the North East, with parts of County Durham left without power for more than a week. 

Power outages lasted for more than 10 days in some areas and customers complained of poor communication from their suppliers about when they would be reconnected.

An uprooted tree in Norton, Teesside

Ofgem has carried out an independent review of the industry, focusing on whether the power outages could have been prevented, if correct and timely information was given to customers affected, whether power was restored quickly enough, and how customers were supported after the storm, including compensation payments.

Published today, it found staff at distribution network operators (DNOs) worked hard in challenging conditions, but concluded that thousands of customers were provided with an “unacceptable service”.

So far more than £30m has been paid to customers and operators have agreed to pay a further £10.3m in redress payments.

Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley said: “Distribution network companies faced challenging conditions in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, and I pay tribute to the many colleagues in those companies who supported customers and worked to get them back on power as quickly as possible.

“However, it was unacceptable that nearly 4,000 homes in parts of England and Scotland were off power for over a week, often without accurate information as to when power would be restored.

“Network companies need to do better, not just to prevent power disruptions, but to ensure that, when power is off, they work smarter to get people back on power quicker, and keep customers informed with accurate and timely information. This is the very least customers should be able to expect.

“The frequency of extreme weather events is only set to increase so it is really important that industry, and those involved more widely, learn from Storm Arwen to better respond in future.”

A man makes safe fallen masonry from a property, which has damaged a nearby car, on Gloucester Avenue in Roker, Sunderland, after gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battered some areas of the UK during Storm Arwen. Picture date: Saturday November 27, (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

THREE network operators – Northern Powergrid, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks and Electricity North West – have paid nearly £30 million in compensation to affected customers after Storm Arwen and have agreed to pay another £10.3 million in “redress payments”, Ofgem said.

Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Ofgem, said: “Distribution network companies faced challenging conditions in the aftermath of Storm Arwen and I pay tribute to the many colleagues in those companies who supported customers and worked to get them back on power as quickly as possible.

“However, it was unacceptable that nearly 4,000 homes in parts of England and Scotland were off power for over a week, often without accurate information as to when power would be restored.

“Network companies need to do better, not just to prevent power disruptions, but to ensure that when power is off, they work smarter to get people back on power quicker, and keep customers informed with accurate and timely information. This is the very least customers should be able to expect.

“The frequency of extreme weather events is only set to increase, so it is really important that industry, and those involved more widely, learn from Storm Arwen to better respond in future.”