National Grid has said that there could be planned blackouts operating this winter. With energy shortages, planned blackouts could help the country continue to operate, with minimal disruption. The idea would be that the planned blackouts would be rolling three-hour periods. So customers would only be without energy for 180 minutes before it comes back on and another set of customers would have their blackout. Hospitals and vulnerable customers would be prioritised. Let’s have a look at how to navigate planned blackouts this winter.
Keep Up To Date With News
One of the main things is keeping up with the news. There could be emails sent, so keep an eye on your inbox. You need to know when your planned blackouts are going to happen. Write it down, put it on the family WhatsApp group, and set a notification to pop up on your phone. If you have neighbours who perhaps don’t look at their emails or rely more-so on letters. Be there for those who often find themselves out of the loop.
Plan Ahead & Have Equipment In Place
With that in mind, you need to plan ahead and have things put in place. There are only limited hours of daylight during the winter months, and even those daylight hours can be dark and dismal. Ensure you have electrical items charged up, including laptops, tablets and phones. Have some fully charged powerbanks at the ready if you think you’ll need them and be sure to have some torches available. Those larger torches that double up as lanterns are a great idea. You might continue some candles, but be careful where you put them and be aware of kids and pets. If you know a planned blackout is due, filling up a thermos flask with hot water can help you stay warm with cups of tea or coffee.
Be Prepared If You Are Travelling
We aren’t always in the same place throughout the week. Maybe we travel for work or visit friends and family at weekend. It is worth keeping an eye on when and where planned blackouts are happening. You don’t want to have booked accommodation somewhere for a weekend away, only to discover a period of that time is during planned blackouts. Travel can be hectic enough without having to plan for blackouts. However, if you are spending a day somewhere and some of that time is during planned blackouts, you might want to rethink your plans.
Stay Organised
Keeping yourself organised is key. When you know what is going to happen, you can organise things. You can tell your kids that there will be a blackout and organise where they will be when it happens. Being plunged into darkness is not a fun experience! Keep that stress and anxiety low by being organised this winter.
Whatever you think of these planned blackouts, whether they are legit or just another form of control and compliance, it could be likely that we’re going to face them this winter. Be planned, prepared and stay safe during any potential planned blackouts.
