21st Jan 2014 12:54
LONDON (Alliance News) - The Commons Energy Select Committee has accused bosses of UK energy distribution companies of "complacency" during talks over the response to power cuts over the Christmas period.
During the festive period, around 150,000 properties were hit by power cuts over several days, following a set of large storms in the UK.
Commons Energy Select Committee Chairman Tim Yeo said during the grilling that there seemed to be a lack of any "expression of real concern" by the UK energy distribution companies and that the response was "absolutely typical of a monopoly, particularly a monopoly whose charges are not very visible to the customers who have to pay them."
The companies attending the committee meeting were Scottish and Southern Energy PLC, Scottish Power Ltd, UK Power Networks, Electricity North West, Western Power Distribution and the Energy Networks Association.
UK Power Networks' Chief Executive Basil Scarsella said that "tried and tested" strategies struggled to cope with worse weather than expected and that the damage "was not caused by weak points in the network."
MP's also asked questions about the levels of compensation paid to customers who were affected by the storms.
Earlier this month, Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution and UK Power networks announced compensation plans for those left without power.
The committee was also told that planning for an emergency number which customers could call to report power outages was "in its early stages."
By Tom McIvor; [email protected]; @TomMcIvor1
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