ELECTRICITY network operator SP Energy Networks has shared safety advice to help customers keep safe in the event of any potential power cuts caused by Storm Babet over the coming days.

The Met Office has issued weather warnings for parts of the UK, with heavy rain and strong winds expected from Thursday and continuing into Saturday.

Many parts of the UK will be impacted, with Storm Babet expected to cause travel disruption and the potential for power supplies and mobile phone coverage to be affected.

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Heavy rain has been forecast with gusts of up to 70mph in places, exacerbated by a prevailing south-easterly wind direction, which is less common for storms hitting the UK, meaning some structures and trees are more vulnerable.

SP Energy Networks invests heavily in its networks to improve resilience and reduce the chance of power loss during extreme weather and always responds to any issues as quickly as possible.

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However, in the event of travel disruption, it may be harder for SP Energy Networks’ engineers to quickly reach faults in the network, so residents in affected areas are being encouraged to prepare.

Guy Jefferson, Chief Operating Officer, SP Energy Networks said: “High winds and heavy rain increase potential damage to our power lines and the possibility for power cuts across our network.

“We have tried and tested plans in place for making sure we are able to respond as quickly as possible where issues do arise and have additional resources in place across the likely affected regions, but it’s important that our customers are also prepared, just in case.

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“The most important thing to do if you experience a power cut is to let us know about it as soon as possible.

“ Please don’t assume that we already know – report it to us by calling the national emergency helpline on 105.

"The sooner we know about any power cuts, the quicker we can get our engineers on the ground and working on restoring your supplies.”

SP Energy Networks’ top tips for being prepared in the event of a power outage are:

Have the national 105 emergency helpline on hand – it’s best to keep this on the fridge or saved in the contacts on your mobile phone. Report any power cuts immediately.

Store a battery or wind-up torch – leave this somewhere you can access easily so you can use the torch to check on the fuse box and make your way around the house safely.

Beware of fallen power lines – power lines may have fallen because of heavy wind so beware of this when venturing out of your home. Always treat them as live, stay away and report them right away by calling 105.

Keep your mobile charged – having your mobile phone charged means you can give us a call on the national 105 emergency helpline. It’s also worth having an analogue phone as this doesn’t run off the main electricity supply.

Keep the heat in – if your power does go out, your heating might not work so keep extra blankets nearby and close window shutters, blinds or curtains to help keep the heat in. 

For more information on what to do in the event of a power emergency, visit spenergynetworks.co.uk.

You can also keep up to date with news and information about power cuts in your area on X (formerly Twitter) via @SPEnergyNetwork.