THE lights went out in Redditch at lunchtime today, Thursday, August 16.
Banks and shops were suddenly without power and here at the Redditch Standard all our computers froze.
The power cut was caused by a problem with one of electricity supplier Western Power Distribution’s transformers on their extra high voltage network which channels some 33,000 volts and above.
A spokesperson said: “This part of the network is automated, which means we have installed equipment that isolated the fault and automatically switched the power to another part of the network.
“Automation means supplies can be restored within seconds as customers don’t have to wait for engineers to attend site and restore supplies manually.”
Since 2016 Western Power Distribution has spent £11million in the West Midlands, on automation and remote control improvements to quality of supply.
The spokesperson said this was to reduce both the number of power cuts and the length of time customers who experience them are without supply.
“The number of power cuts in our area has fallen by 39 per cent over the past decade with the average customer experiencing one power cut every two years – for 29 minutes. Our work costs the average domestic customer 27p a day,” said the spokesperson.
