Power cuts
The power cut kit: what to keep at home for a UK blackout
Who to call, what to switch off, how to keep the fridge, the phones and the people going, and the kit that makes a long power cut uneventful.
The first ten minutes
Check whether it is just your home. If the neighbours' lights are on, look at your fuse box: a tripped switch is the most common cause. If the whole street is out, call 105. It is a free number across England, Scotland and Wales that connects you to your local network operator, who can tell you what has happened and when power should be back.
Then: switch off anything that would be dangerous if power returned unattended (hobs, irons, heaters), leave one light switched on so you know when it is back, and keep the fridge and freezer closed. If anyone in your home depends on electricity for medical equipment, ask your network operator and supplier about their free Priority Services Register before you ever need it.
Keeping food safe
A closed fridge stays cold for around four hours. A full freezer keeps food frozen for up to two days, a half-full one for about a day. Every time a door opens, those numbers shrink. If the cut will be long, eat from the fridge first, the freezer second and the cupboard last. If in doubt about anything that has warmed, throw it out.
Staying warm, safely
Most gas central heating stops in a power cut, because the boiler's pump and controls need electricity. British homes lose heat quickly, so plan to keep people warm rather than rooms:
- Choose one room, ideally small and south-facing, and close its doors and curtains.
- Layer wool and merino rather than cotton; wear a hat indoors.
- Use hot-water bottles, down sleeping bags and wool blankets. A small tent pitched indoors holds body heat remarkably well.
- Never use a barbecue, camping stove, patio heater or generator indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide has no smell and kills in power cuts every year. Fit a battery carbon monoxide alarm.
Staying connected
Three things surprise people. First, many landlines are now digital: they run through your broadband router, so they stop working when the power does unless the router has a battery back-up. Ask your provider. Second, mobile masts have their own back-up batteries, and in long or widespread cuts those run down, so mobile signal can fade hours into an outage. Third, the radio still works: a wind-up or solar radio brings local updates when everything else is down.
Keep phones charged when warnings are issued, carry a power bank, and write the important numbers on paper.
The kit, by length of cut
| Length | What you need |
|---|---|
| A few hours | Head torch per person, charged power bank, the 105 number, a battery carbon monoxide alarm |
| Up to three days | Plus: drinking water, food that needs only hot water, an outdoor stove, wind-up radio, warm layers and blankets, cash, first aid kit |
| A week or more | Plus: a portable power station with a solar panel, sleeping bags, water treatment, sanitation for when water stops, a plan for medicines |
What a power station runs
Portable power stations are large lithium batteries with household sockets. Capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh). Divide the capacity by a device's power draw to estimate hours of use, then allow about 15% for losses.
| Device | Typical draw | Hours on 1,000 Wh |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband router | 10 W | About 85 |
| LED lamp | 8 W | About 100 |
| Phone charge | 15 Wh each | About 55 charges |
| Laptop | 50 W | About 17 |
| Fridge (average) | 60 to 80 W | About 10 to 14 |
| Electric blanket | 60 W | About 14 |
A 200 W folding solar panel can add several hundred watt-hours on a bright day, less in a British winter. Charge the station every three months so it is full when you need it.