Hi all, as a primary raynuad's sufferer I have been a wee bit concerned about how we are going to manage this winter, gas is costing me £10 a day atm,
but I am not one to read the news and buy into the fear and scaremongering. I thought being on the priority register would give us some hope of protection from these proposed blackouts,
I for one have been shivering every time I turn the heating off since this temp drop, I have 2 hot water bottles, electric blanket, bed socks layers the works, I am also getting ulcers on my fingers this year.
Anyway I received this email this evening from electricity north west giving me a "block" 'just incase' and well it has infuriated me..
'no Household is exempt' wtf? Even those who are on oxygen or diaylsis at home etc?. Words fail me..
please read and speak to your GPs, about this "back up plan"
I will be speaking to mine on Monday, because I don't trust them after the past 2 years,
whether they are trying to scare us or what, I don't know.
I just think we really need to have some form of heating, 3 hours in the coldest, darkest months of the year is way too long to for anyone with circulation problems,
I know I will be turning blue & needing medical attention very quickly. I was in a coma years ago due to being unable to keep warm and developed pneumonia & ARDs I can't go through that again I'm not in my 20s anymore.
so please ask your GPs what can be done.
I will paste the email in a new message below.
As far as I know it's definitely from them, as I am on the priority register is probably why this are informing me to tell me it counts for nothing..
I'm sure anyone in the north west UK will be getting one and a "block" soon. 😑
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As the temperatures are dropping and the risk of bad weather increases, we want to help you prepare. You may have seen has been some information in the media about emergency power cuts this winter. We want you to know that while National Grid has said that this is unlikely, we do plan for such events every year.
As you are registered for our extra care services, we want to provide you with some helpful information to help you understand possible impacts and prepare. You can see more at enwl.co.uk/BeWinterReady
What would be the impact?
If emergency power cuts are needed, you could have a power cut for at least three hours at a time, once or twice a day. The power cut would affect all power in your home including lighting, heating, electrical cooking appliances, wi-fi and some landline phones.
How can I prepare?
If needed the power cuts would be scheduled in blocks. Every property has a block letter and a rota will be announced publicly in the unlikely event of emergency power cuts happening.
Your rota block letter is D
If you want to check it, you can go to powercut105.com/findoperator or by looking at the top of your latest energy bill. Keep it safe as it will help you find out when you’ll be without power if power cuts are needed.
No homes are exempt, even if you are an Extra Care Register customer. Due to the scale and size of demand, electricity network operators cannot supply generators/backup power to customers for these emergencies.
What if I rely on electricity for medical equipment?
We recommend that you speak to your GP or NHS professional if you are reliant on electricity to support medical equipment, to create or confirm your personal back-up plan. You can also take a look at our frequently asked questions at enwl.co.uk/BeWinterReady to help you consider what you might need in your back up plan or for more information, including advice and support that can help you with the cost of living.
Thanks for sharing this. I have only just got myself on the priority register, and thought that would mean I could get a generator. They said services eg Red Cross would come round to check on me - hopefully with hot water or a generator! But it looks like not ...
I personally make sure all my battery-heated gloves, show insoles and jackets are fully charged at all times, as well as the spares (and over the years I have accumulated several, for different levels of extremity needed!) And tomorrow I will go out and buy and couple of big flasks to keep full of hot water (re-heating at least morning and night) - so that would be a few hot water bottles to bury under my 2 duvets with me. Hopefully with that lot I could ride out 3 hours ... it's the threat of power cuts lasting days that panic me.
Yeh I think that what really worries me is the part where we think we will automatically be given the necessary equipment being on the register, but no they are passing that on the to already stretched emergency services, that is disgraceful. I wonder how many older people are on the register and they will not have an email address to receive that email. Probably receive a letter weeks down the line due to postal backlogs.. I think you have the right idea, a very good plan, I think I will do the same with the flasks for hot water bottles thank you I really do need my hot water bottles.
Will be interesting to see what my GP says on Monday, I hope we are never in the situation especially for days like you say, but with what I've seen from the government and the media over the years when they say, "it's not likely to happen" it usually means, actually it will we are just dragging it out and testing the waters...
hi hope you don’t mind me writing - just a thought - and I may be a bit mad admittedly but have you thought about using space blankets ? They are fairly cheap - can be reused and easy to store - I’ve sewn them onto back of blankets and made dog beds with them in for my Ridgeback lad when he was getting older - he loved them.
You could sit on one and put another over - at least in theory !
That is actually I really good Idea.. I never thought of using them at all, but it's definitely something to have on hand, I never realised they were reusable neither. I will order some,
It is awful the way we and others more highly dependent on electricity are being lumped in with everyone else, I agree.
As far as I understand it we have been given a block number as we will be given adequate notice as to when the power, and for how long, will be switched off in each particular block. I’m not panicking unduly before this list is available as stress contributes to my raynauds attacks and at the end of the day it may not happen. We are all doing the right thing in preparing just in case though 🥰
You're right, stress is a trigger. I can't say I am literally panicking tbh just weary, but getting that email says something to me really.I Think it annoyed me to think they don't give a damn & the priority register means nothing.
people will die this winter probably more so than other winters and the utility companies have made big profits not losses, so the whole thing is just grim.. xx
I agree it really is exceptionally cold at the moment. It's costing silly money and we don't have a choice. I know some folk are refusing to put the heating on until they can't handle it but heating is essential for our condition..I have an oil radiator in my bedroom as it's on the outside wall and I have those old fashioned vents in the wall that let a big draft in, its like an ice box, so I pop that oil radiator on before I go bed to take the chill out but some nights I have had to go put the heating back on and set the timer for a few hrs as I'm shivering even with electric blanket and hot water bottles 🥶
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