Energy firm 'sorry' for Ottershaw blackout

Sep 1 2009 By Emma Heseltine, Surrey Herald

MORE than 2,500 homes in Ottershaw were without power

MORE than 2,500 homes in Ottershaw lost power - some for almost 10 hours - because of an electrical fault at a substation in Chertsey.

The blackout started in the Guildford Road area at about 2.10am last Wednesday, and also affected parts of Chertsey, including the traffic lights on St Peter's Way.

EDF Energy, which provides power to homes and businesses around Chertsey and Ottershaw, said it had restored power to all but 914 customers by 10am.

The final 70 homes were reconnected shortly before 1pm.

Debbie Waugh, 34, a doctor's receptionist who lives in Murray Road, Ottershaw, said: "I know the power went off in the middle of the night, but it seems daft that people's mornings, and in some cases afternoons, were disrupted because of it.

"Why couldn't EDF have reconnected people quicker? I understand that power cuts will happen, but given how expensive our electricity bills are these days, you would think that they could get us reconnected sooner.

"My power didn't come back on until 11am, so I couldn't have a cup of coffee or toast when I got up. My alarm didn't even go off - although thankfully I have a back-up alarm on my phone - and I ended up late for work."

Drivers travelling on St Peter's Way, Chertsey, were also hit with problems when the traffic lights remained blackened out during the morning rush hour.

Dean Sanderson, 26, an IT consultant from Oatlands Drive, Weybridge, said that traffic on his way to work was even more congested than normal.

He said: "Even though the traffic lights were on a roundabout, so most people could just treat it as a normal roundabout, some people seemed to be panicking.

"St Peter's Way is busy enough at the best of times, but it took me more than an hour to do a 30-minute journey."

EDF was unable to respond to individual complaints about the power cut.

However, it issued a brief statement, reading: "EDF Energy Networks apologises to customers for the inconvenience caused."