Electricity blackouts ...

[Maddie]

I keep hearing about potential electricity blackouts in the coming months and wonder if there is anything I should be doing in preparation.

Also how long would my fish last before a power cut started to affect them ? Obviously both filter and heater work from electric and I could whack the heating up to try and mitigate the heat situation but the filter ?

I am a little worried.

It did also cross my mind about what happens to disabled or sick people who rely for their life on electricity supply ?

Do I need to buy a generator before they become like hens teeth ?

[Chris_jennings]

Hi, if i remember the 1970s correctly the blackouts only lasted 4 hours or so, so all should be ok, but as a backup i have an airstone connected to a battery backup air pump.

[mikeyw64]

I dont specifically remember scheduled blackouts being a thing during the 3 day week in 73/74 but I may be wrong.


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"In the 1970s, most of the UK's electricity was produced by coal-burning power stations. To reduce electricity consumption, and thus conserve coal stocks, the Conservative Prime Minister, Edward Heath, announced a number of measures under the Fuel and Electricity (Control) Act 1973 on 13 December 1973, including the Three-Day Work Order, which came into force at midnight on 31 December. Commercial consumption of electricity would be limited to three consecutive days each week. Heath's objectives were business continuity and survival and to avoid further inflation and a currency crisis. Rather than risk a total shutdown, working time was reduced to prolong the life of available fuel stocks. Television broadcasts were to shut down at 22:30 each evening, and most pubs were closed; due to the power surges generated at 22:30, the Central Electricity Generating Board argued for a staggered shutdown on BBC and ITV, alternating nightly, and this was eventually introduced. The television broadcasting restrictions were introduced on 17 December 1973, suspended for the Christmas and New Year period, and lifted on 8 February 1974."

[plankton]

The blackouts were scheduled, I was working on old LEO computers and we were trying to run them up until the power went as we were so busy.
Whoever left it too long and snapped a tape bought the next round when the pub reopened.....

I left the power off on one of the tanks' filter and heater last week and didn't notice until I went to unplug them this week, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
If you get worried do small water changes (just a jugful) and wrap the tank(s) in old blankets or polystyrene to hold the temperature.

[Martinspuddle]

Another alternative for power cuts, is to get your yourself a ups power supply. I have a UPS Cyberpower 540 watt.



It is plugged in to my filter only. I tested this one I have I found it will run the Eheim 600 Pro4 for just about 8 hours.

[LookoutTrout]

I keep hearing about potential electricity blackouts in the coming months and wonder if there is anything I should be doing in preparation.
[/Snip]

Where have you heard about these blackouts from? It's news to me.

[mikeyw64]

doom mongers

worst case scenario

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... gency-plan

[Martinspuddle]

I keep hearing about potential electricity blackouts in the coming months and wonder if there is anything I should be doing in preparation.
[/Snip]

Where have you heard about these blackouts from? It's news to me.

Mr Putin has turned off the gas taps and we have become far too reliant on imported energy, the North Sea Gas fields only supply 50% of our needs but a third of that is sourced from Norway.

We have no more coal fire power stations in service in this country and no way of storing gas anymore but we do have gas fired power stations, which from what I understand are around 60% electricity generation in the UK.

Nuclear and renewable energy isn't enough to fill in the short fall, our European partners, Norway and France say they cannot help either due they own energy short falls, so we're pretty much sunk!

National Grid give a statement last month saying they may have ration power over January but the Government doesn't think this will happen and even taking about restarting the old coal fired stations to plug the gaps ...hang on, we have to import our coal from China these days, oops, there goes green UK emissions targets!

Edit: Didn't say last night but does make wonder what is going on when I see a Australian gas ship at Sheerness docks. So we are now importing the stuff from the other side of the world ...again and from what I read it seems we're also getting Gas from America.

First Australian gas shipment in six years seen in Sheerness

Anyway don't forget what the energy companies said last year "to cuddle your pets in cold weather" I'm not sure if that's our fish keeping us warm or we keeping them warm?

[black ghost]

At least we’ll be able to catch tropical fish in the canals again.

[LookoutTrout]

oops, there goes green UK emissions targets!

The green party seem to have forgotten about emissions targets as well, I'd have thought they would welcome high prices instead of calling for state aid to bring prices down.