What Are the Major Causes of Power Failure in the UK?
Power outages are a fact of life. They can happen at any time but understanding what causes an outage can help to prevent future problems.
Power Failures
Let’s take a look at some of the most typical reasons for power failure.
Defective or Overloaded Equipment
Power outages can be caused by equipment failure. For example:
- Poor maintenance or defective equipment can lead to mechanical breakdowns and other problems.
- Demand is sometimes greater than the capacity of the grid, triggering a shutdown of all available circuits until conditions stabilise.
Human Error
Human error is a common cause of power outages. It can happen for a variety of reasons including:
- Faulty wiring
- Overloaded circuits
- Unsatisfactory maintenance
- Infrequent inspections
- Poorly trained staff
Extreme Weather and Climate Change
Weather causes a lot of power failures in the UK, especially in colder areas like the north of Scotland. As you can imagine, it’s hard to predict when and where an outage will occur, but we do know that certain weather patterns are more likely to lead to problems than others. These are:
- Heavy snow
- High winds
- Torrential rain
- Lightning strikes
Heavy snow, gales, rain storms, and lightning strikes can all cause damage to power lines, transformers and electrical systems resulting in a power failure. Weather-related outages can also cause permanent faults that require more extensive repairs from qualified professionals.
Climate change may also be affecting the frequency and severity of power outages. According to the Riello UPS Blackout Report:
“By the 2080s, the Committee on Climate Change predicts the number of faults on the electricity transmission and distribution network caused by lightning alone could rise by 36% (Committee on Climate Change, 2017).”
Electrical Overloads
An electrical load comprises all the equipment, devices and appliances that are connected to a building’s electrical system. Electrical overloading is surprisingly common and can happen for several reasons. The most usual one is:
- Using too many appliances at one time puts a heavy demand on circuit breakers.
It’s a good idea to have your wiring checked regularly and to remember that any electrical wiring is only as good as its weakest point.
Rodent Damage
Sometimes wiring is damaged by rodents who can chew right through power cables and cause significant problems. If you suspect you might have an issue with rodents, it’s important to have your premises checked from time to time.
Are Power Cuts Common?
Currently, there are more power cuts in the South of England than anywhere else in the UK. However, due to the phasing out of nuclear and fossil fuel plants, many experts are predicting an increase in power cuts right across the country.
Do Power Cuts Last Long?
The average power cut in the UK lasts less than an hour. That might not sound like very long but if you don’t have a backup power supply, it could cost your business a considerable amount of time and money.
How Can I Protect My Business?
Fortunately, there are ways of preparing and protecting your business. The easiest and most effective is to invest in an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). This ensures that your business can continue to operate even in the event of major power problems.
It’s also sensible to have a contingency plan so that your team will know what to do in the event of any issues. By understanding the different types of power failures and how they would affect your business, you can make the necessary preparations to keep everything running.
Learn More About Contingency Plans and Maintenance
Safeguard Your Business With a Top-Rated UPS System
When it comes to choosing the best power supply solution for UK-based businesses of all sizes, our UPS power specialists have years of professional experience. We can build and install a unique UPS System that is exactly suited to your requirements and budget.
We can also offer useful guidance, professional UPS maintenance packages, and full support after your UPS System is installed.
Don’t Wait For a Power Failure – Be Prepared With a UPS Power Supply!
Give our helpful team a call to find out how a UPS Power Supply from BCL Power can safeguard your business now and in the future.
Call 01908 607548 to speak to our team today