Power Cut Chaos in the UK — Again

Oct 17, 2003
By Zannah Lewis, Evening Mail

More than 220,000 customers were hit by a massive power failure which caused transport chaos across the region this afternoon.

The NEC, scores of Birmingham city centre businesses, homes in Sutton Coldfield and Coleshill were affected by the blackout which struck at 1.30pm.

Commuters at New Street Station faced travel chaos into tonight's rush hour as five trains were left stranded on the cross city north line.

Rail bosses said all trains through Birmingham's main station were being affected as engineers worked to restore power. To try to minimise disruption bus operator Travel West Midlands agreed to accept rail tickets on its services.

Rachel Blackman from Network Rail said: "It's affected the cross city line and engineers are working as quickly as possible to get it sorted before the rush hour."

Liam Herbert, spokesman for power distributor Aquila, said: ìThe power failure was caused by a fault on the National Grid line going to the Hams Hill power station in Solihull.

"More than 275,000 voltages goes into the site and a dip in the National Grid voltage caused the power failure, which affected 220,000 customers."

Yesterday the Evening Mail revealed fears of winter power cuts that could hit thousands of families across the West Midlands.

The National Grid warned that operating margins to ensure power is maintained have plunged top their lowest level since privatisation of the industry in the early 1990s.

National Grid spokesman Chris Mostyn said: "Operating margin is at an all-time low since privatisation in the early 1990s - it is lower than we would like."

The maximum demand for electricity across the UK is between 4.30pm and 6.30pm in the winter, when many businesses are still operating and meals are being prepared in family homes.

Today, a senior executive at the company which runs the national electricity supply network today rejected claims that the power failure which blacked out large parts of London in August was a result of shoddy maintenance procedures.

Engineers said that, rather than a technical problem, it was an oil leak at an electricity sub-station, which had been logged but not dealt with, which caused the blackout.

The programme also reported on internal documents which talked of a 'black hole' of outstanding repairs.

Nick Winsor, director of transmission for National Grid Transco, defended the company's maintenance record and its version of what happened in August.

For the latest news on the disruption to the region's rail services, check: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/info/fs_info.htm

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/content_objectid=13526695_method=full_siteid=50002_headline=-Power-cut-chaos-name_page.html