The UK government set out a range of actions on 9 June 2022 to improve the resilience of Great Britain's electricity networks for future extreme weather events, following its review into the industry response to Storm Arwen1. The energy regulator Ofgem published its own report the same day, examining how each network operator performed against its legal obligations1.
Storm Arwen struck in November 2021, causing power cuts to around one million households. Nearly 75,000 of those were without power for over 48 hours, and over 3,700 for a week or more. The worst affected areas were North East England and Scotland1. Network operators have paid over £34 million in direct compensation to affected customers and have agreed to pay a further £10 million in redress payments to affected communities. Nearly 90% of those affected had received compensation payments by 24 January 20221.
The review found that existing network standards did not provide adequate resilience to Storm Arwen's unusual northerly winds. A new "outcomes-focused physical resilience standard" will be developed, defining resilience standards in terms of outcomes for consumers rather than solely as measures to be implemented1. Each Distribution Network Operator (DNO) has been ordered to review its severe weather escalation plans so that factors influencing the scale of impacts, such as wind direction, are considered. The government will also update industry best practice on identifying faults and assessing network damage earlier in a storm, exploring how smart meter data and technology can help1.
On communications, the review found all impacted DNOs had excessive abandoned calls and maximum wait times. DNOs have been ordered to ensure communication systems are adequate to meet demand and to introduce telephone systems and websites capable of handling increased traffic during a storm, including considering additional resourcing such as hiring more staff and sharing call handlers between organisations1.
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:
"Storm Arwen was one of the most extreme weather events in decades, and I'm grateful to all those engineers, Armed Forces personnel and volunteers who worked night and day to get people reconnected to power. However, it's clear that thousands of customers were badly let down by electricity network companies, which is why I launched this review to identify and address any failings."
The government's final report recommends actions across three areas: System Resilience, Consumer Protection, and Additional Support1.
| Area | Action |
|---|---|
| System resilience | New outcomes-focused physical resilience standard; DNOs to review severe weather escalation plans |
| Customer communication | DNOs to upgrade telephone systems and websites for storm demand; consider more staff and shared call handlers |
| Compensation | More robust payment mechanisms; Energy Networks Association to publicise entitlement; Ofgem to review whether a compensation cap is still appropriate |
Why it matters for households
For a household, the practical effect of a storm is measured in days without heating, lighting, refrigeration or, increasingly, the broadband and mobile connections that depend on mains power. The review's finding that existing standards did not adequately cover Storm Arwen's northerly winds goes to the heart of that: the network was built and assessed against assumptions that did not hold in this event1. The proposed outcomes-focused standard would shift the question from what equipment operators install to what a household actually experiences during and after a storm1.
The communications failures matter because a household that cannot reach its distribution network operator cannot find out when power will return, whether to move vulnerable occupants, or how to claim compensation. The compensation changes address a different problem: entitlement that exists but is not known about or paid promptly. Ofgem's review of whether the compensation cap remains appropriate is the mechanism by which the payment structure itself could change1. These measures sit within the wider framework of regulation and policy governing network obligations, and alongside the question of national supply resilience as a whole.
What happens next
The Business and Energy Secretary has set deadlines for network operators to complete the next steps, though the specific dates are not given in the announcement1. Ofgem will commission a review into the compensation payment structure, looking at whether a compensation cap is still appropriate, developing alternative options and improving the accuracy of customer data. The Energy Networks Association will lead on developing more publicity for compensation entitlement in the event of a power cut1.