We’re all familiar with electricity and it’s fair to say we probably take it for granted.

We flick the TV or computer on without really thinking or brew up whenever we like without giving it much thought. One aspect of electricity is power cuts. They can come unexpectedly and they can be planned – but either way they are a bit of an inconvenience. Who needs interruptions in the middle of a box set marathon? No-one!

But there’s a much more serious side to power cuts and how it can affect people’s health both mentally and physically. What if electricity is powering life saving equipment? It’s good to know that hospitals and health centres have power back ups and spare generators in the event of power cuts – but what happens when there’s a power cut in your home? It can be an incredibly frightening and lonely thing to be suddenly plunged into darkness. And if you’re suffering from a stress-related illness, depression or you just find everyday life a struggle, it can trigger very serious problems. Suddenly, even a short a power cut could have a significant impact on your health.

When a power cut happens, it’s natural to be worried. We might wonder who to talk to.

You may not have heard of Northern Powergrid, but they’re the people who keep the lights, kettles, and TVs on and all of our phones charged. They provide the infrastructure – the power lines and generators – which the power companies run their electricity on.

And Northern Powergrid are the people who will be out fixing and repairing everything when things go wrong, day or night. They have a Priority Service Register especially set up for vulnerable people so you’ll never feel alone when a power cut happens.

When you sign up for the register, they offer help and support that can make all the difference. They have a customer contact team who will be in touch throughout the power cut to make sure you’re ok. You’ll always get through to someone because you have a direct dial number to use. Or if you prefer, you can text. If it’s unsafe to stay where you are we can help you find a safe place to be while the problem is fixed. We can even send a support vehicle to bring hot drinks and snacks.

#NorthernPowerGrid #Yorkshire