Today, the free Powercut105 service, that connects people with help and support during power disruptions and provides preparedness advice, marks 10 years of operation. During that time over 1.4 million people have visited the website, whilst the free Powercut105 phoneline service has received over 25 million calls over this period.

The service supports one of the most dependable electricity systems in the world with the UK’s power network operating at 99.99% reliability.

The phoneline service helps connect people across England, Scotland and Wales directly to their local electricity network operator during a power cut. Over the past decade, Powercut105 has become a trusted part of the UK’s power outage response, supporting households through storms, high winds and unexpected faults. The service experiences peaks in use during these times, when large numbers of customers can briefly lose power before restoration work brings them back onto the grid. 

Before Powercut105 existed, people didn’t necessarily know who to contact during a power cut, often calling their energy supplier rather than their local network operator, the organisation actually responsible for keeping the lights on. The 105 number and website were created as part of networks’ commitment to continuing improvement in customer services, offering one simple, memorable way to report a power cut, check for updates in an area or sign up for extra help through the Priority Services Register.

Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive at Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK’s energy network operators, said:

“Powercut105 has established itself as a crucial service for customers over the last 10 years and a cornerstone of the UK’s internationally leading approach to resilience.

“As we approach the winter months, our consistent advice to customers is to prepare, care and share. Prepare by going online to PowerCut105.com for advice, care by checking in on friends and neighbours, especially those who might need extra help, and share by letting other people know how they can make a plan too.”

To mark the anniversary, network operators are encouraging the public to bookmark the powercut105 website and to sign up to the free Priority Services Register if they or someone they know may need extra support during a power cut.

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