Winter reminder for electricity customers

As winter nears, NIE is issuing a reminder to its customers on how to cope if their electricity supplies are interrupted.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Nov 2012, 23:01 BST

NIE is the electricity network company and is responsible for repairing faults on the network regardless of which supplier issues your bill.

Since privatisation in 1993 NIE has invested over £1 billion in improvements to the electricity network. This has substantially reduced the number and length of disruptions. However, storms, vandalism, third party damage and other events can still affect your supply.

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David Keys, Customer Relations Manager at NIE, says: “We understand that any loss of electricity supplies can be a frustrating and unpleasant experience so we are urging customers to make an annual check to ensure that they are able to minimise the impact of a power cut.”

Be prepared:

Know where your household fuses and trip switches are.

Keep a supply of batteries for radios, torches and candles in the house.

Customers dependent on electrical equipment for healthcare should join NIE’s Critical Care Register.

If your electricity goes off:

Customers should first check their household trip switch and fuses.

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Contact NIE’s Customer Helpline on 08457 643 643 and have your postcode or Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) available.

In the event of a widespread power cut if you telephone NIE you may speak with a call handler, or more likely receive NIE’s automated service where you can leave details of the premises affected by the interruption and receive a message providing the latest information available.

Put safety first:

Never approach broken lines or damaged poles, and keep children and animals away.

Take care if using candles or other naked flames.

If you are using a generator, be careful where you site it in case of carbon monoxide poisoning.

For further information, check NIE’s website at www.nie.co.uk.