Electricity Supply Problems
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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30-12-2007 11:49 PM
Dear all, I would be interested to hear from others who have been affected by the localised power cut in the Honor Oak Road area today. Ours went off at 9.30am and power was only restored at 9.15pm. I understand that others were affected from 3pm.
Things like this will happen however I am particularly furious having discovered the following;
EDF engineers have told us that this was caused by the water ingress from the leak on Honor Oak Road. See existing thread on this subject. This is the second power cut since August allegedly caused by this leak.
EDF took over three hours to get an engineer to visit the substation. They were made aware of the problem at 9.30pm, an engineer only arrived after 1pm- someone thought no work was actually started until 3pm.
If anyone can provide further information it would be appreciated as we are furious about the effect on us, our baby, not to mention being out of pocket to the tune of ?200 due to lost fridge/freezer contents food plus eating out expenses for a whole day.
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hilltopgeneral
Posts: 156
Joined: Mar 2004
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31-12-2007 12:47 AM
Good Lord, I wasn't aware that one could freeze sevruga or foie gras.
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-12-2007 11:57 AM
Good Lord, I wasn't aware that one could freeze sevruga or foie gras.
Dear HTG, If you add up the sum total of your own fridge and freezer contents - assuming
you have one,
you can add up
and its full with items you've just bought in bulk to tide you and your oft visiting extended family over the New Year holiday and most of January-
you'll find that even the most basic items together total quite a large sum of money.
No posh nosh at ours, unfortunately. Perhaps next time it happens we'll come round to yours as the fare on offer sounds delightful, and clearly, your local substation is more reliable than ours. And of course you appear to be a charitable individual who'll take us in with no hesitation.
And believe me,
two day returns to central London so that we can hang about a warm museum with a baby for 5 hours free of charge (?7)
two hot drinks and two muffins in a cafe,(?6)
a reasonably cheap lunch in a cafe plus bottled water and tea ( ?15)
two M+S sandwiches plus drinks, fruit and crisps for dinner (?9)
almost ?40.
Not sure what sevruga is- is it Lidl's answer to tarmasalata, perhaps? I wouldn't know....
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Ghis
Posts: 321
Joined: Jan 2007
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31-12-2007 12:08 PM
Your household insurance should cover the contents of your freezer. Worth Checking.
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hilltopgeneral
Posts: 156
Joined: Mar 2004
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31-12-2007 12:20 PM
I can appreciate that it was very frustrating, but unless you have electric heating (?) then you could conceivably have stayed in, and if you don't have a gas hob got some sandwiches or a take-away or whatever.
I very much doubt that the contents of my freezer amount to ?200, but with most of the festive season behind us could you not have just eaten the rest over the next couple of days?
I agree one is entitled to expect a supply 24/7 in a civilised country but you do seem to be making the worst of the situation and exaggerating your hardship somewhat. What happened to the Blitz spirit? Instead here we are being displaced to museums and crying over defrosted vol-au-vents.
I would have thought the lengthy interruption to the water supply earlier this year was more inconvenient?
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michael
Posts: 3,261
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-12-2007 12:27 PM
Roz,
Ignore HTG's postings at a time of night when all people have had a few too many pints. If you have another power cut feel free to phone and pop round for a cup of tea and a warm place to sit. Admittedly I was out shopping most of this time but over on the other other side of Forest Hill we had power and heat all day and no armed police.
If this leak is causing loss of power I hope that the councillors / MP can make sure that Thames Water resolves this situation as soon as possible. Water on the road is bearable, even in the winter, but causing regular power cuts is unacceptable and demands speedy resolution.
If people have written or electronic correspondence to Thames Water or EDF
regarding this issue I would be happy to collate the information to pass it on to councillors and MPs, email me any details at michael@foresthillsociety.com
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-12-2007 01:26 PM
Thank you Michael for such a cheering supportive comment.
I certainly think some further action is needed as this is not the first time this has happened however this is certainly the worst so far. Who knows how many others may have been affected in many ways included elderly people who may have had considerable difficulty keeping warm, and also getting help if needed, as most phones these days also require an electricity supply.
HTG, your post reflects your usual attitude to the plight of others, however if you do ever have children please be advised that staying home in cold conditions with looming darkness is simply not a safe or practical option with a young baby who needs regular warmed feeds and a warm environment for frequent undressing for nappy and clothing changes. And please note even gas central heating relies on electric ignition for the boiler. So, no, there was no means of heating or cooking food.
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hilltopgeneral
Posts: 156
Joined: Mar 2004
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Sherwood
Posts: 1,416
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-12-2007 06:55 PM
Roz,
Since the power cut was caused by an ecape of water, the consequential loss should be charged to Thames Water under the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. I suggest that you write to them listing the goods you lost. It is probably a good idea to take a photograph to support your claim.
The claim would be quite high if Sainsbury's lost power for a day!
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-12-2007 08:08 PM
Thanks all for the advice and support on this matter, and a very Happy New Year.
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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02-01-2008 02:01 PM
Apparently the saga continues with every organisation involved blaming everyone else. As I see it, the responsibility for ensuring the leak is repaired lies with the housing association ie as the commissioner of the work and from whose land the problem originates. I assume they do not have a metered supply, or else they would treat this matter a little more urgently than they have done.
EDF have advised that will be further temporary disruptions to the electricity supply this week as they will have to return to complete the work. Assume this will still as before affect the area bordered by Honor Oak Road/Ewelme Road/Manor Mount/the Fieldings.
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Applespider
Posts: 285
Joined: Feb 2006
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04-01-2008 09:39 PM
While you have to be without power for a ridiculous 18 hours or so (IIRC) to get cash out of EFT, it is worth knowing that if the power goes out 3 times in 12 months (April to April) for at least 6 hours a time, they'll send you ?50.
You have to phone or email them to ask for it but, if there's another one, hopefully you'll feel slightly better.
I'm surprised you lost the contents of your freezer though. Most modern freezers will keep the contents frozen for 12 hours if you don't open them once the power goes and try covering them over. On the occasions where my power went out last year, my freezer contents survived - even the ice cubes were still square.
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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21-01-2008 08:44 PM
At risk of being accused again by the Callous One of exaggerating my hardship, or worst of all, being posh and having a freezer full of duck bits, I will nonetheless tell you that today there was a further power cut starting at midnight and lasting over 18 hours ending at 6pm tonight. Not nice at all, particularly as this was the third time since August, the last one being on 30th December. EDF took 12 hours to even get someone out to attend the problem on Honor Oak Road which was the same as before. Farcical. Thankfully it appears to have been fixed once and for all but alas not in time to save our fridge and freezer contents - again. (yawn)
They will issue ?50 compensation to anyone affected for more than 18 hours, but people need to contact them to get it. For future reference, Energywatch were very helpful and have a direct referral hotline to EDF for outtages of more than a few hours.
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Snazy
Posts: 1,516
Joined: Jan 2008
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21-01-2008 09:21 PM
Is that all since the substation fire?
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Sherwood
Posts: 1,416
Joined: Mar 2005
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21-01-2008 11:01 PM
Roz,
You lost all your caviar and smoked salmon again, then!
Life's a bitch isn't it?
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Applespider
Posts: 285
Joined: Feb 2006
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22-01-2008 10:34 AM
You also get ?50 if there are powercuts more than 3 times in the year - April to March - which cumulatively add up to more than 18 hours.
You've hit the 18 hour target this time but for anyone who perhaps got it back slightly earlier, worth a mention. Again, you have to call and ask for it.
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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30-01-2008 06:35 PM
At risk of repetition, we had another one today starting at 8.30am and coming back on at 4.30pm. Same problem, just not fixed properly last time (s). Another morning spent trawling the streets looking for someone a) at home and b)with a power supply to get hot water to warm my baby's feeds, and an ill baby at that. This is the 3rd time in a month.
Some of us have asked us for an urgent meeting with EDF to discuss reliability and appropriate compensation. If you are one of the hundred or so people who have been affected please post on here and we'll keep you posted.
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gingernuts
Posts: 505
Joined: Nov 2007
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30-01-2008 06:47 PM
How annoying is that!!! And for the pleasure, EDF have put up their prices yet again.
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davidl
Posts: 180
Joined: Oct 2007
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30-01-2008 11:21 PM
Sorry to hear about this happening (again!). I can't imagine how unpleasant your day must have been.
Has any cause been identified?
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-01-2008 09:48 AM
Same as before - the water leak corroded something a key part and blew a fuse in the underground substation. It was supposed to have been finally fixed last week however clearly not. EDF are good on offering compensation and alternative accommodation after a battle however the continuing unreliability of power is making me very mistrustful as I think they anticipate major problems in this area and this is the tip of the iceberg.
The really galling thing is that it took them 5 1/2 hours to get a team out to fix it. The 18 hour target that they have to get power back on before things get difficult just makes them take their time- this I think needs to be amended. If it was just me I'd cope but its just not fair on my baby, or anyones child, and again, I wonder if elderly people in the area have been put at risk.
I've asked for a meeting with EDF senior management and will write to Jim Dowd.
I'm off shopping today for camping gas (seriously) and a stove thingy so that I can at least boil some water, flasks, thermals,some head torches, and some wind up lamps....
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