Friday August 21 2015
Northern Powergrid reaches out to thousands of people across region
- Filed Under:
- News Releases
Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for managing the power network which delivers electricity to peoples’ doors, has reached out to thousands of its customers across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire this month to help ensure they know who to call if they have a power cut.
Research by the company found that eight out of ten people in the region don’t know who to call if their lights go out. With many people incorrectly turning to the company they buy their electricity from instead of their local electricity distribution network operator it can increase the time it takes for local people to get the information and support they need.
Northern Powergrid turned to social media to raise customer awareness that it is the company to turn to if they have a power cut and show how it is responsible for the network that is powering their community.
The two-week campaign appeared more than 417,000 times on Facebook and engaged directly with some 188,500 customers who actively use the social media outlet. It also provided them with a direct link to the company’s website, northernpowergrid.com, for advice on how to report and manage during a power cut and how to sign-up to its Priority Services Register. The service offers additional support to people with a disability, medical condition or very young families, who may need greater assistance during a power cut, by keeping them updated as a priority.
Siobhan Barton, head of stakeholder and customer engagement, said: “Major investments in our network over recent years, and our plans to invest a further £3 billion over the next eight years, means fewer power cuts on our network. This is good news for customers but it also means that it can be more difficult to remember who to contact if you do have a power cut.
“We want our customers to know that we’re ready to restore their power 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. With a contact centre in our operating area, teams of hundreds of engineers spread across the region, 24-hour Facebook and twitter customer service and a smartphone responsive website that gives advice and power cut updates, we can ensure our customers get the support they need, when they need it most.”
To report a power cut visit
northernpowergrid.com, or contact Northern Powergrid’s 24/7 customer service advisors on twitter (@northpowergrid), Facebook or by calling:
- North East: 0800 66 88 77
- Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire: 0800 375 675
Northern Powergrid media contacts: Joanne Kerrigan, External Communications Manager or Dawn Parlett, External Communications Advisor, on 0845 402 0692
Notes to editor:
- Northern Powergrid is the electricity distribution business for North East England, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. The company delivers power safely and reliably to 3.9 million homes and businesses.
- Northern Powergrid’s network consists of more than 61,000 substations, 29,000 kilometres of overhead line and 62,000 kilometres of underground cable, covering an area of more than 25,000 square kilometres.
- Research commissioned by Northern Powergrid last year found that eight out of 10 people don’t know who to call if their lights go out and seven out of ten people wouldn’t think to check on a neighbor during a power cut.