kfh said:

When we have made the move to all electric will the resilience  of the network be improved especially as we are told we can expect more stormy weather with global warming?

Of course as with so many things it's risk management - how much is it worth spending on infrastructure given the likelihood and severity of the risk. Probably some, but also what about ensuring that there is a supply of microgeneration plants available that can be shipped to affected areas? As has been discussed through this threads there are a number of options available for this.

However this begs another question very relevant to this forum - should there be a standard system that can be installed in remote properties that would allow easy disconnection of the incoming supply and connection to an emergency microgeneration unit when required? Is there already such a standard? Others here will know vastly more about this than I do, but I'm guessing it's not straightforward to hook up a backup generator in an emergency situation to a property (or location with a group of properties) that wasn't designed for one - or am I wrong there?

(Apologies if that's already been discussed here and I missed it - as many have said, it's easy to lose the thread of these threads...)

Fortunately we only lost power for about 3 hours down here in Cornwall, so both the freezer contents and the tropical fish survived! But I really feel for those in Wales cut off for days.

Thanks,

Andy

kfh said:

When we have made the move to all electric will the resilience  of the network be improved especially as we are told we can expect more stormy weather with global warming?

Of course as with so many things it's risk management - how much is it worth spending on infrastructure given the likelihood and severity of the risk. Probably some, but also what about ensuring that there is a supply of microgeneration plants available that can be shipped to affected areas? As has been discussed through this threads there are a number of options available for this.

However this begs another question very relevant to this forum - should there be a standard system that can be installed in remote properties that would allow easy disconnection of the incoming supply and connection to an emergency microgeneration unit when required? Is there already such a standard? Others here will know vastly more about this than I do, but I'm guessing it's not straightforward to hook up a backup generator in an emergency situation to a property (or location with a group of properties) that wasn't designed for one - or am I wrong there?

(Apologies if that's already been discussed here and I missed it - as many have said, it's easy to lose the thread of these threads...)

Fortunately we only lost power for about 3 hours down here in Cornwall, so both the freezer contents and the tropical fish survived! But I really feel for those in Wales cut off for days.

Thanks,

Andy

I'm guessing it's not straightforward to hook up a backup generator in an emergency situation

It's not an unskilled task and depends on the appetite for risk vs the level of desperation and what kit is available at the time - I'm not thinking of planned installation with the luxury of going back to the wholesalers.

One sees some remarkable solutions, that are not especially safe, such as wires going into consumer units/breaker panels where the cover has been removed and left off, and shortly behind that is the 'widowmaker' lead with a plug on the end that is the output of the generator, that plugs into the nearest socket and powers parts of the building that way.

And that is before one starts to think about earthing, NE bonds and so on - which really are quite important considerations.

IT would be nice if it was more common to leave a spare way in the board that fed something like Henley blocks for those cases where the correct solution of change over switches and so on could not be justified.
The problem is really the need for a connector design where both halves are touch safe even when energized, usually only the socket  half can be made live safely ! (there are theatrical connectors that can,  but they are not common.)

Mike.

Andy Millar said:

However this begs another question very relevant to this forum - should there be a standard system that can be installed in remote properties that would allow easy disconnection of the incoming supply and connection to an emergency microgeneration unit when required?

That is a splendid idea. There may be technical difficulties, but surely it is not beyond the wit of man.

I envisage something like an EV socket, into which a generator could be plugged.

Come to think of it, if one does have an EV, why not draw power from it for a few hours?

There may be technical difficulties, but surely it is not beyond the wit of man.

It's not that hard - a change-over switch, a wall mounted plug and an electrode, plus perhaps an RCD if the generator might not have enough oomph to operate overcurrent devices for ADS.  All covered by existing requirements in BS 7671. One of the pubs not far from here appears to have such a setup, judging by the large red BS 4343 inlet on its outside wall.

   - Andy.