Network fault leads to Trowbridge power cut

4:25pm Tuesday 8th January 2013 in News

A network fault was the reason behind a power cut which left around 12,000 Trowbridge residents without power yesterday evening (Monday).


The problem, which began at around 5pm, affected parts of the town as well as Hilperton and Semington.

A spokesperson for Southern Electric said: “There was an interruption to the supply at around 5pm with about 12,000 people being affected. By about 6pm, we had 10,000 people back with electricity and then everyone was back up and running by about 6.20pm.

“The problem came from a fault on the network, it is quite easy to redirect the flow and that is why we managed to get the majority of people back online by 6pm. When anything like this happens it is our priority to get everyone back on as quickly as possible, so we ensure to deal with the any problem swiftly.”

Comments(31)

beetawix says...
1:01am Wed 9 Jan 13

All is now clear. There was a fault and they got everyone back on as quickly as possible, as we are told three times in this report.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
10:22am Wed 9 Jan 13

So will SEB be offering compensation for the 1 hour or more when we had no electricity? Or how about for the consequential losses such as ruined cooked food - this happened around 5 p.m. remember? Of course they will not, but how different their attitude is when customers are late paying their electricity bills. Rank hypocrisy of the highest order.

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Jungleist says...
11:33am Wed 9 Jan 13

Power cuts usually happen by accident don't they? I'm sure SE didn't plan a power cut whilst my chicken korma was bubbling away on the stove. People, on the other hand, are responsible for paying their bills on time. I know who I owe and when it's due. If I think I can't pay I speak to who I owe and sort something out. Or maybe thats just me.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
12:48pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Jungleist wrote:
Power cuts usually happen by accident don't they? I'm sure SE didn't plan a power cut whilst my chicken korma was bubbling away on the stove. People, on the other hand, are responsible for paying their bills on time. I know who I owe and when it's due. If I think I can't pay I speak to who I owe and sort something out. Or maybe thats just me.
And there are accidental reasons why customers do not pay their electric bills on time as well. Just two examples - a cheque gets lost in the post and the DD problems a few months back with NatWest/Ulster Bank accounts. And are SEB interested in these perfectly legitimate reasons? Of course they are not. So why should customers be interested in the corporate BS put forward by SEB for the failure in their supply? Companies like this rate just above bankers and paedophiles in the social strata. As I stated in my original post - rank hypocrisy of the highest order.

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beetawix says...
12:57pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Companies like this rate just above bankers and paedophiles in the social strata....... said Dummer

That's an ignorant foul!

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Jungleist says...
1:17pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I didn't realise a genuine cable fault was corporate BS. Comparing Scottish and Southern with bankers and paedophiles. Bit rough really.

I suppose what I didn't like in your original post was the fact that somehow someone needs to compensate me for the power going off for an hour every now. Maybe I should sue Wiltshire Council for making me late for work because they are doing road works? Can't say I'm that bothered really.

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Jungleist says...
1:19pm Wed 9 Jan 13

......an hour every now and then even.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
1:29pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Jungleist wrote:
I didn't realise a genuine cable fault was corporate BS. Comparing Scottish and Southern with bankers and paedophiles. Bit rough really.

I suppose what I didn't like in your original post was the fact that somehow someone needs to compensate me for the power going off for an hour every now. Maybe I should sue Wiltshire Council for making me late for work because they are doing road works? Can't say I'm that bothered really.
"Where there's blame there's a claim". And I have absolutely no problem with that. If the network was maintained properly it would not develop a fault, only extreme weather problems (which I concede are outside SEB's control) should result in a supply failure. Let me state my case once again - one set of rules for SEB, another set for its customers.

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Jungleist says...
2:35pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Tell you what. Next time my garage maintained car breaks down (which it shouldn't because it's properly maintained of course) I'll sue the garage for loss of my ability to use my car.

I'll let you know how I get on.

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Mrs Donnyfly says...
6:37pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Dummer_Frauenfahrer wrote:
So will SEB be offering compensation for the 1 hour or more when we had no electricity? Or how about for the consequential losses such as ruined cooked food - this happened around 5 p.m. remember? Of course they will not, but how different their attitude is when customers are late paying their electricity bills. Rank hypocrisy of the highest order.
How would you suggest SEB go about compensating customers for consequential losses such as ruined cooked food?

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mjltigger says...
6:44pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Dummer_Frauenfahrer wrote:
Jungleist wrote:
I didn't realise a genuine cable fault was corporate BS. Comparing Scottish and Southern with bankers and paedophiles. Bit rough really.

I suppose what I didn't like in your original post was the fact that somehow someone needs to compensate me for the power going off for an hour every now. Maybe I should sue Wiltshire Council for making me late for work because they are doing road works? Can't say I'm that bothered really.
"Where there's blame there's a claim". And I have absolutely no problem with that. If the network was maintained properly it would not develop a fault, only extreme weather problems (which I concede are outside SEB's control) should result in a supply failure. Let me state my case once again - one set of rules for SEB, another set for its customers.
And that sort of nonsense is why every household, business and driver in this country is paying through the nose for insurance... if you add the extra cost of the insurance to the extra costs incurred when people don't pay their bills on time it seems no wonder the rest of our bills are so high...

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trowboy says...
8:17pm Wed 9 Jan 13

My brother used to work for an electricity company and reliably informed me that they have a 24 hour period of grace for these situations. IF any longer then yes, you would be entitled to compensation. If you read the terms and conditions of the contract you signed you might find this information for yourselve. IF you're still not satisifeid i understand you can disconnect you electricity and install a mini wind farm in your garden to power the cooking of your chicken Korma.. or whatever else it was you were cooking. Not hyprocricy at all, a legally binding contract that you, sir, signed without obviously reading it all. I suggest in the future you check your rights before you start spouting off.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
9:53am Thu 10 Jan 13

trowboy wrote:
My brother used to work for an electricity company and reliably informed me that they have a 24 hour period of grace for these situations. IF any longer then yes, you would be entitled to compensation. If you read the terms and conditions of the contract you signed you might find this information for yourselve. IF you're still not satisifeid i understand you can disconnect you electricity and install a mini wind farm in your garden to power the cooking of your chicken Korma.. or whatever else it was you were cooking. Not hyprocricy at all, a legally binding contract that you, sir, signed without obviously reading it all. I suggest in the future you check your rights before you start spouting off.
Your assertion that I am male is pure speculation, if you cannot verify your facts then I suggest that you do not post at all. Fact: Southern Electric is part of SSE Group, a Company which was recently fined £1.25 million because their salesmen were found guilty of mis-selling that cowboy company's energy to nearly 1/2 million people. A comment about that verdict (which was upheld on appeal) from a director at Consumer Focus: 'this guilty verdict shows that it was not the action of rogue salespeople but the failure of the whole system. It should not take action to make one of the biggest energy suppliers play fair with customers'.

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Jungleist says...
12:48pm Thu 10 Jan 13

How about taking the approach that people are responsible for their own actions and if they want to buy over priced energy then thats up to them? SSE's tactics are, I expect, not that much different from any other supplier wether that be for upvc windows, gas, phone, broadband etc. No one forces people to sign up to these deals do they? Isn't there even a 'cooling off' period as well? I just dislike the ' woe is me' attitude that encourages people to blame others for their own mistakes, bad decisions or misfortunes.

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dinky1923 says...
4:01pm Thu 10 Jan 13

All I was bothered about was my bangers & mash which I didn't get to eat.....was really looking forward to that!

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Mrs Donnyfly says...
6:39pm Thu 10 Jan 13

"Your assertion that I am male is pure speculation, if you cannot verify your facts then I suggest that you do not post at all."

Trowboy was not "asserting" that you were male at all. He (based on the name) made an assumption, based on your drivel, that may or may not have been right. And any facts are not his or anyone's.

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moonrakin wurzel says...
7:28pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Once the toxic green fools get their way.... a 1 hour power cut will look like luxury.

Shut down power stations and rely on wind and sun.

I'm sure a windmill an solar panels would have powered those12,000 homes on a still winter evening ... well OK maybe not :-)

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norville says...
8:32pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Not happy my comment calling Dummer a moron for the peadophile comment was removed but his/her comment is still there. Wiltshire Times employee are you?

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Mrs Donnyfly says...
9:30pm Thu 10 Jan 13

You must have hurt her sensibilities and he complained.

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beetawix says...
12:23am Fri 11 Jan 13

someone has had a comment that I made removed also.
Whatever the pathetic reason it is extremely rude to do it unilaterally without comment, prerogative of the WT or not.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
11:01am Fri 11 Jan 13

norville wrote:
Not happy my comment calling Dummer a moron for the peadophile comment was removed but his/her comment is still there. Wiltshire Times employee are you?
Posters on this site agree to the T&Cs when they create their account, I suggest you read them and then you will learn what happens when posts do not comply with WT's rules. You work for a PR company representing Southern Electric do you?

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beetawix says...
2:03pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Maybe in the case you quote, but my post was not false, abusive or malicious. Perhaps it was a careless censoring error.

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Mrs Donnyfly says...
7:04pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Stupid woman driver said - "Posters on this site agree to the T&Cs when they create their account, I suggest you read them and then you will learn what happens when posts do not comply with WT's rules. You work for a PR company representing Southern Electric do you?"

Do you mean in pretty much the same way customers of energy suppliers agree to the T&Cs when they create their accounts with them, and should read them and learn where they stand should a power cut happen?

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Gethoo says...
9:30pm Fri 11 Jan 13

So next time there's a traffic accident or the traffic lights fail or something else which might disrupt our routine, we'll go into verbal diahroea - me now !!! So let's just all calm down and have a good 2013. Chill out and relax.

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dinky1923 says...
2:01am Sun 13 Jan 13

gosh there are worse things going on in the world than an hours worth of power failure....it affected me, 1 hour and 20 mins and I missed my bangers n mash but thats all that bothers me, not that political side of things, who's to blame or who's fault, its just one of those things!! sh*t happens so they say!

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
1:36pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Mrs Donnyfly wrote:
Stupid woman driver said - "Posters on this site agree to the T&Cs when they create their account, I suggest you read them and then you will learn what happens when posts do not comply with WT's rules. You work for a PR company representing Southern Electric do you?"

Do you mean in pretty much the same way customers of energy suppliers agree to the T&Cs when they create their accounts with them, and should read them and learn where they stand should a power cut happen?
Well, let's just see what the Asda store in Trowbridge do after they lose electrical power for over 2 hours, as happened on Monday 14th, shall we? That caused the store to close completely. I'll bet they won't just roll over and accept the loss of several thousand pounds worth of business without seeking compensation, as has been suggested by the SE apologists on this thread.

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Mrs Donnyfly says...
7:32pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Dummer_Frauenfahrer wrote:
Mrs Donnyfly wrote:
Stupid woman driver said - "Posters on this site agree to the T&Cs when they create their account, I suggest you read them and then you will learn what happens when posts do not comply with WT's rules. You work for a PR company representing Southern Electric do you?"

Do you mean in pretty much the same way customers of energy suppliers agree to the T&Cs when they create their accounts with them, and should read them and learn where they stand should a power cut happen?
Well, let's just see what the Asda store in Trowbridge do after they lose electrical power for over 2 hours, as happened on Monday 14th, shall we? That caused the store to close completely. I'll bet they won't just roll over and accept the loss of several thousand pounds worth of business without seeking compensation, as has been suggested by the SE apologists on this thread.
Losing several thousand pounds worth of business isn't quite the same as losing a couple of sausages you or I might have had sizzling under the grill.

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Jungleist says...
7:58pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Can't read anyone apologising on this thread. Do you always demand something back when it all goes wrong for you? Energy suppliers do, according to what caused the fault, compensate their customers if they are off for more than a certain period of time (as explained by someone else above). What do you expect them to do? Pay Asda for loss of trade? If Asda wanted to guard against that they should have a generator. Lots of customers whose trade is sensitive to power cuts do that. They don't moan about. They just get on with it. Where do you think 'compensation' comes from anyway? Us.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
10:17am Tue 15 Jan 13

Jungleist wrote:
Can't read anyone apologising on this thread. Do you always demand something back when it all goes wrong for you? Energy suppliers do, according to what caused the fault, compensate their customers if they are off for more than a certain period of time (as explained by someone else above). What do you expect them to do? Pay Asda for loss of trade? If Asda wanted to guard against that they should have a generator. Lots of customers whose trade is sensitive to power cuts do that. They don't moan about. They just get on with it. Where do you think 'compensation' comes from anyway? Us.
And if those money-grabbing cowboy power companies want to protect themselves against customers rightly claiming compensation due to their inability to maintain an uninterrupted power supply then they should take out insurance to cover that. Power company bills have rocketed well in excess of RPI over the last few years; now where is the corresponding improvement in customer service? And, as for the argument that 'all customers would have to pay', where is the logic in that? For example, a good proportion of the council tax I pay goes towards education so, as I have no children, I am paying to educate other people's kids. That is just the way it is. And I have paid back the cost of my own education many times over already. Let me re-state my earlier quote from Consumer Focus about SSE Group following their £1.25 million fine (to be paid by their customers of course): ' systemic failure ..... it should not take (legal) action to make one of the biggest energy suppliers play fair with its customers'. I await Asda's reaction to Monday's power cut (which will also probably have ruined all of their frozen food) with interest.

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Jungleist says...
1:29pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Not sure I understand. You can claim for a power cut as long as they fit into the published guidlines. I think the problem is people, you maybe, expect too much. How about being a bit more reasonable? You never answered my question about what happens when my car breaks down and I try to sue the garage?!. No one can guarantee a 100% service. It would seem to me you are 'money grabbing' by demanding instant compensation and recompense. They probably have to spend the extra profits they make to deal with people like you who get on the phone after a one second power blip screaming blue murder. Look forward to the Asda world wide news flash concerning the multimillion pound law suit they intend hitting SSE with. I'm sure we'll see it first in the WT.

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Dummer_Frauenfahrer says...
11:22am Wed 16 Jan 13

Jungleist wrote:
Not sure I understand. You can claim for a power cut as long as they fit into the published guidlines. I think the problem is people, you maybe, expect too much. How about being a bit more reasonable? You never answered my question about what happens when my car breaks down and I try to sue the garage?!. No one can guarantee a 100% service. It would seem to me you are 'money grabbing' by demanding instant compensation and recompense. They probably have to spend the extra profits they make to deal with people like you who get on the phone after a one second power blip screaming blue murder. Look forward to the Asda world wide news flash concerning the multimillion pound law suit they intend hitting SSE with. I'm sure we'll see it first in the WT.
And you have not responded to my statement that SSE Group's £1.25 million fine, following the legal finding of their systemic failure, will of course be met by their customers.

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