Now THIS is the customer service we should expect from our utilities.

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Zeon

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#957755 26-Dec-2013 23:56

I completely disagree with you. People should be more self sufficient.

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MikeB4

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#957776 27-Dec-2013 06:39

Talkiet:
Geektastic: It just seems like a very positive thing and very pleasantly uncorporate. If my power was out on Xmas day I'm sure I'd be thrilled if my power company offered to make such arrangements.

Normal people don't keep generators in their houses I wouldn't have thought, personally.

No, but well prepared people will have options...

Personally, I have

- a 2300W generator (with about 20 litres of fuel I rotate out every couple of months)
- a spare full 9KG Gas bottle (for stove or BBQ)
- Lots of flashlights and battery powered lights
- Lots of batteries
- 2 * 10l water containers that get refreshed every month or so
- matches, lighters etc.

Not a prepper by any stretch of the imagination, and I admit the generator is a bit of a luxury (I had to use it for about 3 weeks after the Feb quake down here), but the rest of the list is pretty well within the reach of anyone and should the power go out I could happily continue to feed myself pretty well.

Cheers - N

Unfortunately in the real world many people cannot afford this. There are many that would not be able to store this.

Ouranos

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#957781 27-Dec-2013 07:08

UK Power Networks is a monopoly with a regulated rate of return. Providing meals etc during an outage makes no difference to their profit, as the expense is simply recovered through the regulated fees that UK Power Networks charges the consumers via the electricity retailers.

Although this is a great bit of feel-good branding by UK Power Networks, it isn't paid for by them. Customer service by a monopoly is a very different thing from customer service by a company operating in a competitive market. The motivations are completely different.

revolushn

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#957804 27-Dec-2013 08:39

I have to agree that people should be more self sufficient - especially in areas where it is known that bad weather hits. This isn't the first time it has snowed there methinks. in fact I would go as far to say that a generator shouldn't be classed as a luxury in these places but just another appliance.

Geektastic

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#958510 29-Dec-2013 07:30

Aredwood: Sounds like a publicity / marketing to me. Although is worrying as they are implying that they are providing insurance for loss of power. Instead of customers having generators or UPS backup.

From the paper today:

"One of the UK’s biggest power distributors has promised to nearly triple compensation for people affected by long-term power cuts during Christmas storms.
UK Power Networks, which owns electricity lines and cables in London, the South East and east of England, said it will increase payments from the statutory £27 to £75 as “a gesture of goodwill”."

Better than nowt.

Geektastic

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#958512 29-Dec-2013 07:35

Ouranos: UK Power Networks is a monopoly with a regulated rate of return. Providing meals etc during an outage makes no difference to their profit, as the expense is simply recovered through the regulated fees that UK Power Networks charges the consumers via the electricity retailers.

Although this is a great bit of feel-good branding by UK Power Networks, it isn't paid for by them. Customer service by a monopoly is a very different thing from customer service by a company operating in a competitive market. The motivations are completely different.

It isn't allowed to charge any more to recover the cost than it would have done had it not incurred them. This comes off the bottom line.

MikeB4

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#958514 29-Dec-2013 07:48

The UK needs to review this, with climate change storms of this intensity are going to be more and more frequent. That is not the fault of the power company, they should not have to pay compensation.

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