While electricity faults are not uncommon at this time of year, a cocktail of bad weather and increased customer demand has exposed some “underlying” issues in the infrastructure.
“The first cold conditions of the year usually cause electricity demand to increase,” said Sally Ann David, Chief Operating Officer at Guernsey Electricity.
“This can sometimes trigger any underlying issues in the network with, for example faults or fuses, causing localised power outages. In tandem, the persistent rain we have experienced is also a key factor as water can sometimes find its way into cable joints and cause problems.”
Pictured: Emergency work was required at multiple sites on 6 January. Guernsey Electricity provides updates on power outages its social media feeds.
Mrs David said that “while these issues are inconvenient, they are not out of the norm for these weather conditions.”
“We are currently operating within our annual winter preparedness plan and our teams of on-call engineers continue to provide 24-hour service,” she said.
“We would like to apologise to those who have been affected and thank them for their patience and understanding but also to provide reassurance.”
Guernsey Electricity’s freephone 24-hour emergency line – 0800 587 0285 – can be used to report any supply issues.