Networks should consider sharing call staff during crises

Ofgem has said networks should consider sharing contact centre staff during times of crisis as part of its interim report on their responses to Storm Arwen.

The regulator made the recommendation after finding that more than four in ten calls to Northern Powergrid’s contact centre were abandoned by customers between the arrival of the storm on the 26 November and the following Saturday (3 December).

The extreme weather inflicted widespread damage to electricity networks across the north of the UK, cutting power supplies to around one million customers. Although 85% were reconnected within 24 hours, ten of thousands were left without power several days and around 3,000 were disconnected for more than a week.

Ofgem’s report highlighted how distribution network operators (DNOs) utilised the North East West South Consortium (NEWSAC) agreement to share resources. The regulator said the arrangements “worked well,” with the DNOs in the less-affected south of the UK – Western Power Distribution and UK Power Networks – promptly sending workers to help repair the networks in other parts of the country.

By 3 December, Northern Powergrid, which had the largest number of disconnected customers (280,867), was being helped by 145 NEWSAC workers, whilst Scottish and Southern Electricity Network, which experienced the largest number of network faults (2,218), was being assisted by 137.

Resource deployment

However, Ofgem said further consideration should be given whether the NEWSAC agreement should also cover contact centre staff. The regulator said the staff levels for contact centres during the storm and its aftermath were lower than those for the 2013 winter storms.

Call centre staff numbers

Ofgem said DNOs experienced a “significant spike” in the volume of calls from members of the public, receiving more than 500,000 between 26 November and 3 December. More than 40% of these calls were made on 27 November alone.

Call centre data shows SP Energy Networks took almost 138,000 calls during the period, the most of any network. It also had the most abandoned calls at more than 33,000. However, Northern Powergrid had a much higher abandonment rate, with customers giving up on almost 28,000 – or 43% – of the more than 64,000 calls it received.

Call numbers and answer times

Accordingly, Northern Powergrid also recorded the longest maximum average time to answer calls at 1 hour 46 minutes, as well as the longest minimum average answer time at 7 minutes, alongside Electricity North West.

Ofgem noted that call abandonment rates were “erratic” across the sector. It said it will further investigate the availability of phonelines and whether enquiries were dealt with in a “prompt and efficient manner” in accordance with licence conditions.

The regulator also outlined a number of issues it plans to explore more, including approaches to the deployment of backup generators; the accuracy and updating of supply restoration estimates; the speed of compensation payments, in particular to customers for whom DNOs do not hold records; and the current compensation caps, which were lifted for Storm Arwen.

Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley said: “Storm Arwen was severe and would, inevitably, have a big impact on the networks affected. However, it is not acceptable that around 3,000 customers were off supply for over a week and, in many cases with poor communication and inadequate support.

“There are significant lessons to be learned for the industry and those involved in the wider response and that is where the next stage of our review will be focussed. Equally, if we find that network companies have not met their obligations, we will take enforcement action.

“Extreme weather events are not uncommon in winter, and with climate change the frequency of these is only set to increase. It is really important that industry and those involved more widely learn the necessary lessons to better respond. This means quickly getting people back on power and keeping customers fully updated throughout.”

Ofgem is due to publish its main report on networks’ responses to the storm in the Spring.