POWER CUT: Report on who was to blame delayed yet again (From News Shopper)
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POWER CUT: Report on who was to blame delayed yet again
1:20pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in
A REPORT on who was to blame for the power cut which plunged thousands of people into darkness for up to four days, has been delayed again.
Energy watchdog Ofgem was due to make public the results of an auditor’s investigation into last July’s EDF Energy power, cut by the end of February.
It had initially promised the report in November last year.
Now it is suggesting the report will not be made public until May.
Ofgem asked for an independent auditor’s report on the incident, which affected nearly 100,000 people in Bexley, Dartford and parts of Orpington.
Some people were left without any power for four days.
The power cut was caused when someone broke into an EDF Energy site in Dartford where four major power cables were carried over Dartford Creek on a cable bridge.
During the break-in the cables caught fire, causing considerable damage.
Kent police were unable to establish whether those who broke in were just vandals intent on causing damage, or thieves trying to steal copper wiring to sell for scrap.
Police said their investigation was hampered by a lack of CCTV and the isolation of the site which meant there were no witnesses.
EDF Energy had problems trying to restore power quickly to those who were affected, because there were no alternative power sources.
And the company was forced to bring in the largest number of generators every deployed in London, to provide an intermittent power supply.
EDF Energy declared the incident “an exceptional event” which meant it could not be held to blame and could offer compensation of only £50 to anyone without power for more than 24 hours.
Ofgem asked the auditor to decide whether the power cut was exceptional or whether EDF Energy’s actions , or lack of them, were a contributory factor in what happened.
The auditor was also asked to decide whether EDF took appropriate steps to limit the number of customers affected and restored the electricity supply quickly and efficiently.
If the report finds EDF Energy was partially to blame, it could affect the amount of compensation due to those who made a claim.
It could also cost EDF Energy millions of pounds under the industry’s Interruptions Incentives Scheme.
In the meantime, it has improved security at the site and is repairing the damage, which could take two years to complete.
Comments(6)
DrDBexley
says...
3:26pm Thu 11 Mar 10
For instance, if I leave my door unlocked or don't bolt lock it and get burgled that's not the burglars fault, nor the police and nor society's. My insurance certainly will not pay up since I've been neglient.
And then if I'm charged with the care of a friends belongings and these items too are stolen during the burglary then I am liable to replace them.
It really is quite simple, the guilty are always too quick to search for alterantive explanations and lay blame at someone elses' door.
EDF should be stripped of their contract and replaced by someone who can provide power and have the necessary nouse to do so effeciently. The money spent on this report would be well placed to refund those who've lost as a direct result of EDF's sheer arrogance and inadequecies.
bexleyman
says...
4:30pm Fri 12 Mar 10
Let sleeping dogs lie. Yes DrD Bexley, EDF have been negligent and it was probably just waiting to happen - though one must say, ultimate responsibility lays with the perpetrators. If your unlocked house was burgled I would indeed criticise you for being negligent and perhaps rather foolish but the ultimate charge of guilt will still lay with the lowlife perpetrator.
Perhaps the report could be just cancelled and put more pro-actively into preventative measures and codifying procedures for a repeat attack?
DrDBexley
says...
9:55am Sat 13 Mar 10
bexleyman
says...
12:03pm Sat 13 Mar 10
DrDBexley wrote:I'll agree in part but I feel we have an irreconcilable difference, I would still say "you shouldn't have burgled me" and it is indeed a very sad damnation of society - you should be able to leave your property without having to heavily safeguard it but yes, knowing this sad state of affairs EDF should have taken preventative measures and therefore are we not left to blame EDF because we have nobody else...
I agree in part, but if you say that the liability lies at the door of the perpetrator then ultimately it lies at the door of society. And since I and EDF know what type of society we're in then we should act accordingly. And also if society is to blame then both myself and EDF are still liable since we're a part of it. You can't say "you shouldn't have burgled me!" when you leave your door open to burglars!
Is it too hard to blame society for spawning and sustaining metal-thieving pikeys, or the poor standard of parenting prevalent today, as parents don't know what their children are up to? If we had a name to blame would EDF be cut a bit more slack?
DrDBexley
says...
2:59pm Sat 13 Mar 10
EDF had a responsibility to ensure the security of their equipment, as vital as it is. Even if they didn't secure it as necessary as perhaps demanded by todays society, then they should have at least ensured sufficient contingency plans were in place.
Not wishing to jump on the terrorisism bandwagon, but if a few pikeys can cause this much havoc how much havoc could have been caused as a result of EDF's lack of planning and neglience if some smarter people had done some real damage? If I were to be of the inclination to cause upheaval and distress all I'd ignore Bluewater or the QE II Bridge! All I'd need to do it seems it look to EDF as they clearly do not operate with consideration for contingency.
Ultimately I pay in excess of £1200 per year for the supply of electricity & gas, at that price I expect it to be supplied whatever happens. They can't have it both ways!
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The cable bridge where a fire cut power to thousands of people last July
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Heard It All Before says...
3:11pm Thu 11 Mar 10