Just had a power cut

LeeUK · 18 Sep 2015 at 21:23

Just had a power cut at 8.30pm and a few streets were affected. Received a text from Northern Powergrid (I must have signed up for text alerts once before) saying "power will be restored by 10.30pm or sooner if we can re-route electricity from our network".

What got me interested was this electricity re-routing, whats this all about and how does that work when only a few streets have lost power?

I'm assuming I'm now on this re-routed electricity seeing as I now have power again and it's not 10.30pm yet.

Bennie-Mac · 18 Sep 2015 at 21:29

Problem with one power station so they divert the supply of power from another one to serve the affected area. They don't like doing it though which is why they try and fix problems first, because of increased loads etc.

LeeUK · 18 Sep 2015 at 21:39

Bennie-Mac said:
Problem with one power station so they divert the supply of power from another one to serve the affected area. They don't like doing it though which is why they try and fix problems first, because of increased loads etc.

I thought the power from power stations go onto the national grid and not to local properties :confused:

Bennie-Mac · 18 Sep 2015 at 21:44

The national grid is a company, it owns all the regional networks so its not one big grid, its lots of little ones, which is why when power cuts occur they are generally confined to a few streets unless there is a major problem that affects multiple regional networks. If there is a problem supplying power to one regional network or distributor they can switch it up to get its power from somewhere else.

antijoke · 18 Sep 2015 at 21:50

And so it starts, the day the Daily Mail foretold.

LeeUK · 18 Sep 2015 at 21:56

Northern Powergrid is the local DNO. My street and few others next to mine lost power so they have gone and re-routed it from somewhere else. I am just wondering how they do this. Is there like a back up cable in the street on standby ready to take over in a power cut or something?

Bennie-Mac · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:04

LeeUK said:
Northern Powergrid is the local DNO. My street and few others next to mine lost power so they have gone and re-routed it from somewhere else. I am just wondering how they do this. Is there like a back up cable in the street on standby ready to take over in a power cut or something?

If there isn't a problem with the cables and is just a supply issue then its basically a flick of a switch to say "This area isnt being supplied by X distributor, can distributor Y take over." If there is a problem with the cables themselves then its an emergency repair job to get it back up and running, backup cables aren't normally a thing.

SkeeterUK · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:05

Had a power cut a few days or so ago myself, was watching tv about 11pm and boom total blackness.

Used phone saw it wasnt going to be sorted till 5am so went meh then just went to bed early for a change.

Quartz · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:05

Some of us have UPSs, you know.

LeeUK · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:11

SkeeterUK said:
Had a power cut a few days or so ago myself, was watching tv about 11pm and boom total blackness.

Used phone saw it wasnt going to be sorted till 5am so went meh then just went to bed early for a change.

That's what I did once, only I woke up at 8am the next day to pneumatic drills drilling in the road and the power still being off.

Malevolence · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:16

LeeUK said:
Just had a power cut

Quick, wave multiple bright torches out of your windows to attract the zombies.

Mangochutney · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:23

The electric company will attempt to get as many customers back on supply as quickly as possible once they have an idea where the faulty section of cable is (I'm assuming its all underground and not overhead supply). This can be done by rerouting the supply from a different substation or bypassing the fault using link boxes or fuse boards.
Some sections are automated that can be operated remotely but this is mostly on the HV system.
I know this because I work for NPG and was on the fault department for 10 years

stopper · 18 Sep 2015 at 22:46

anticonscience said:
And so it starts, the day the Daily Mail foretold.

What?

Teknobry · 18 Sep 2015 at 23:40

Bennie-Mac said:
The national grid is a company, it owns all the regional networks so its not one big grid, its lots of little ones, which is why when power cuts occur they are generally confined to a few streets unless there is a major problem that affects multiple regional networks. If there is a problem supplying power to one regional network or distributor they can switch it up to get its power from somewhere else.

National grid is one company but doesn't own regional networks. It operates the 275 & 400kv network around the UK. Voltage is then stepped down to 132kv which is where the DNO's take over.
If you have a power outage of a few streets, that's the DNO's equipment at fault. If you lose an entire city then that's national grids fault

thebennyboy · 19 Sep 2015 at 00:33

fatiain · 19 Sep 2015 at 01:12

I remember powercuts being a regular occurrence back when I was a nipper in the 70's, I used to love them. My dad had a Calor gas lantern which I thought was the mutts nuts and going to bed by candlelight was teh awesome.

Abraxaz1 · 19 Sep 2015 at 06:55

Probably a failed transformer for your area.most likely rerouting involves the placement of a big diesel generator till a spare is fitted.

National grid just take power from the power station and supply it to distribution networks.

Diddums · 19 Sep 2015 at 07:49

Our power went off at 2:15ish too. Was restored when I got up this morning. An massive area went out too, I couldn't see a light on for miles (Streatham Hill).

nutcase · 19 Sep 2015 at 08:26

Had a few days away last week near Wychnor and for most of an evening the power was going off every half hour or so for about 30 seconds each time. Happened about 10 times in total. Was a bit strange!