Northern Powergrid stood down its major incident response on 22 December 2024, after strong winds forecast in Met Office weather warnings affected Yorkshire and the North East on Saturday 21 December and through the night, disrupting power supplies to more than 16,700 customers1.
The network operator said the total was about five times the number of interruptions it experiences on a typical day1. Its teams worked into the night to restore supplies, and the company said it expected any remaining disruption on 22 December to be manageable through normal business operations, which is why the major incident response was stood down1. Windy conditions were expected to continue through the day1.
"Strong winds, as forecasted in the Met Office's weather warnings, impacted Yorkshire and the North East yesterday and throughout the night, disrupting power supplies to over 16,700 customers."
The company said the forecast for the festive period looked much more stable and that it was not expecting further disruption, adding that it remained ready to support customers throughout the holiday period1. No further figures on the number of properties still without supply at the time of the announcement, or on the duration of individual interruptions, have been reported1.
Why it matters for households
The disruption affected households across Yorkshire and the North East, the two regions named by the operator, during the weekend before Christmas1. Northern Powergrid asked customers who had been affected by a power cut to report it online so the problem could be identified and fixed more quickly, and said customers could also call 105 to report it or to get in touch if they needed extra support1. The company also advised that anyone spotting fallen trees on power lines or poles, or damaged cables caused by the strong winds, should stay well clear and call 105 immediately1. Households preparing for winter storms can read the guide to storms and the electricity network, and the power-cuts hub covers what happens during an interruption.
What happens next
Northern Powergrid said its teams remained ready to address significant issues on its network and to restore any interruptions as quickly as possible, and that it stood ready to support customers over the holiday period1. No further update dates have been announced1.
Storms and the Electricity Grid
