Customer Engagement Group observe Northern Powergrid’s Storm Exercise
Last winter’s severe weather showed that infrastructure companies like Northern Powergrid need to be prepared for extreme weather events in order to protect their customers from the worst effects of climate change. Over the Spring and Summer Northern Powergrid has undertaken an extensive programme of work to strengthen its preparations for dealing with such events.
During September and October Northern Powergrid ran a series of exercises to test the company’s readiness to respond to extreme weather of all sorts (storm, flood, and snow and ice), and members of the Customer Engagement Group observed each of these exercises. The exercises involved a substantial commitment of resource by the company.
The exercises demonstrated that the work done earlier this year has significantly improved the company’s ability to restore power to people (and businesses) if future extreme weather interrupts electricity supplies. The CEG has provided feedback to Northern Powergrid on our observations, which also included some suggestions for how the company might work together even more closely with others to keep people well informed and supported during such events.