National Grid urges households to stock six essentials for winter power cuts

National Grid outlined a set of measures to cope with winter weather, including standby engineers, contact-centre operatives and advanced monitoring tools to restore supply quickly. Households are urged to store a torch, spare batteries, a wind-up or solar radio, a power bank or solar charger, a surge protector and spare batteries for any medical equipment that relies on electricity. The utility encourages people to register for email outage updates and to add vulnerable users to its Priority Services Register.

It also recommends coordinating with neighbours, confirming cooking and hot-water options, and protecting appliances from surges by unplugging them. Keeping freezers shut can preserve food for up to 12 hours, and checking street lights can help determine the scope of a cut. The overall aim is to minimise inconvenience and protect those who depend on electricity for health or communication needs.